Choose the World You See
by Crow's Gamble
Summary: As a result of his game with the Composer, Megumi Kitaniji was erased and Shibuya was lost. Or so he thought. Awakening and discovering his beloved city is still intact, Kitaniji hunts the truth behind the Composer's motives and his own missing entry fee in a quest that just might lead Shibuya's recently erased Conductor back into the Reapers' Game.
1. The Producer's Request

**Chapter I: The Producer's Request**

_Shibuya has been erased. At least I played without regrets…what happens to me now is of no consequence._

The Conductor had been defeated in his Game with the Composer, and erasure was his ultimate fate. When people die, they go to the UG, but for someone who already existed in the UG, even Megumi Kitaniji was unsure what happened next. What did it mean to be erased? As light engulfed his eyes, it was quickly apparent that his conscience would not simply fade into oblivion, as per popular belief.

"Hello?" Kitaniji slowly sat up, unsure of where he was or why he had been sprawled out on the ground. Blinking, he quickly realized that his shades were missing. Where had they fallen? Glancing around, he noticed them on the ground a few feet away from him. Cautiously, he picked them up and put them on his face. Returning to the more comfortable world of shadows, he cocked his head to take in his surroundings. His heart lit up with joy when he realized what he saw.

Shibuya was still intact! Hundreds of people were shuffling past one another in the streets below him, and recognizing Jupiter of the Monkey, he realized with a start that he was on Cat Street. Glancing left and right, he noticed that more graffiti had consumed the city since he had been erased, but otherwise, it was relatively unchanged.

"Kariya, hurry the hell up!" Kitaniji jumped as he heard the frustrated scream of Harrier Reaper Uzuki Yashiro. There was a sense of urgency in her voice that her partner Koki Kariya did not share.

"Calm down, Uzuki. Let's pace ourselves. No need to rush." He placed a hand in his pocket and pulled out a fresh lollipop. Unwrapping it and sticking it in his mouth, he looked up at the sun. "Beautiful day."

"BEAUTIFUL DAY?" Yashiro exploded. "This could be the most important day of our lives and you are just commenting on the weather!"

"You've gotta loosen up," Kariya shrugged, shaking his head. "It's been a month since Mr. Kitaniji was erased. Things are just now starting to return to normal, thanks to the appearance of the Producer. He's definitely had a lot on his plate, restoring order to the UG. We can afford to give him some breathing room."

"We can give him some breathing room by being on schedule!" Yashiro grabbed Kariya by the ear and started pulling him behind her.

"Ouch! Aight, aight, I get what you're sayin'. Let go of me, Uzuki!" He tenderly rubbed his ear as she released him. Yashiro stared wistfully at the café WildKat.

"Kariya, my job is very important to me…remember how scary it was during that three week run of erased Game Masters? Shibuya was changing, losing everything to it that made it the city we love. This is a new start, a new beginning for the hierarchy of Reapers. I want to make an impact and become an officer and make work more enjoyable for all the Reapers!"

"In time," Kariya said comfortingly, placing an arm around Yashiro, pretending not to notice the blush creeping over her face.

Kitaniji watched the entire scene with bewilderment. The Producer? He had almost believed it to be nothing more than a rumor amongst Reapers. Why was Shibuya even still around in the first place? He had lost his game with the Composer and sealed Shibuya's fate. Did the Composer have a change of heart? Was He perhaps defeated by His own proxy? _I have to find out what has happened to both the Realground and the Underground. _Noticing the Reaper duo approaching him, Kitaniji stepped in front of them. They walked past him, not noticing his presence.

"Hey!" he called out to them. They did not heed his call and entered WildKat. Kitaniji followed them inside. The café was virtually empty, save an oddly dressed man. He was tall and slender, with spiked black hair and a bit of stubble. He wore a dark vest over a rolled back white shirt, a pair of black slacks, and sandals. His eyes lit up behind his dark glasses as his café was once again inhabited by others.

"Welcome!" He said enthusiastically. "What can I get you?"

"YOU!" Yashiro exclaimed, pointing a trembling finger at him. He stared at her pleasantly perplexed.

"Yes?"

"You were the man who interfered with my attempt to erase Sakuraba and Misaki! You're the Producer?"

"I prefer not to go by such formal titles," he said. "Just call me Mr. H."

"Mr. H, I'll take a cuppa joe." Yashiro stared at her partner in disbelief, but Mr. H did not even notice.

"Coming right up, boss!" Mr. H exclaimed. "Would you like to try my house blend? I can guarantee the taste, only 680 yen!"

"Sounds like a bargain," Kariya scooped into his pocket and placed the money on the table. The two of them looked at Yashiro who was fuming.

"And you missy?" Mr. H asked innocently.

"I suppose a bouillabaisse sounds good," she grumbled. Mr. H exploded with laughter and began combing through his shelves to find the requested food. Yashiro turned to Kariya. "How did a meeting with the Producer turn into a dining experience?"

"He is more lax than I expected," Kariya admitted, "but that ain't a bad thing." A shuffling of feet indicated that their gracious host had returned with their orders.

"Here ya go! One piping hot house blend coffee and one bowl of bouillabaisse!"

"Thanks!" Kariya said and pulling the lollipop out of his mouth, he poured the still-steaming coffee down his throat. Yashiro shook her head and started poking at her meal with her spoon.

"So Mr. H…" she began, but he cut her off with a raised hand.

"Please, enjoy your meal and allow me to tell you both why you were called here today." His serious tone caught the duo's attention and they watched him attentively. "As you both know, the RG and UG both experienced a bit of turmoil during the previous Games. Details were kept confidential at the time, but there was a Game between the Conductor and Composer that would determine the fate of Shibuya. The elimination of the Composer's proxy, Neku Sakuraba, would result in Kitaniji's win. Neku prevailed, however, and Kitaniji was Erased. The Composer sequentially challenged Neku to a final Game that was meant to determine the fate of Shibuya. Neku was shot and the fate of Shibuya was in the Composer's hands."

"Then why is Shibuya still intact?" Yashiro cut in. Mr. H grinned.

"I can't give you the full details, but the Composer was watching over Neku's progress the entire time. Seeing the positive change that came over Neku was enough to convince the Composer to spare Shibuya. Perhaps the real objective of the game was for Neku NOT to shoot his former partner. Whatever the reason, the Composer brought Neku, his friends, and all of the players who had been Neku's entry fee for the third game back to life."

"Who woulda thought that twerp was so important?" Yashiro muttered. Kariya scratched his head puzzled.

"Neku Sakuraba is the only Player in the history of the Game to have played three times through, not to mention goin' up against both the Conductor and the Composer and escaping with his life. How does he do it?"

"He's a very unusual boy," Mr. H agreed. "The Composer's intentions at this point are unknown, but although it is certain that he is alive, his whereabouts are currently unknown. Without the presence of a Composer, Conductor, and Game Master, the Game cannot be run, and as more people die in the Realground, the Underground grows in danger of an excess of souls waiting for a chance to come back to life. Furthermore, without the chance to rack up points, Reapers low on points are runnin' out of days to live. This is why I have a mission for the two of you. I need ya to track down the Composer and bring him back so that we can resume the Game."

"How are we supposed to track down the Composer?" Yashiro asked surprised. Mr. H offered the duo a pair of cell phones.

"I spent several days installing a tracking application into his phone, as per his request. He used it to track Kitaniji's Imagination during their game. What I did not tell him is that he can also be tracked now by anyone who is looking. These phones are set to track his Imagination to the ends of the earth if that is what it takes."

"It sounds like a lot of work…" Kariya complained, which spurred Yashiro's growing enthusiasm.

"We'll do it!" She snatched the pair of phones out of Mr. H's hands and handed one to Kariya who was scowling.

"Wonderful!" Mr. H said. "You are two of the more reliable Harrier Reapers we have, and I look forward to good results. Succeed, and I can offer my recommendation for an Officer position, should you wish it."

"Thank you, sir!" Yashiro saluted him.

"You changed your tune about Mr. H pretty quickly," Kariya slyly muttered in her ear.

"Fuck off," she whispered back. Mr. H watched them amused.

"I hate to rush out my precious customers, but you now have your mission and I am expecting someone. Good luck on your mission and please keep me updated. The more I know about the current situation, the quicker we can resolve this mess. My number is in the phones."

"Will do," Kariya had finished downing his coffee and had replaced his favorite candy in his mouth. "Let's get steppin' Uzuki." Yashiro bowed to Mr. H and followed Kariya out. The duo stepped straight through Kitaniji who so shell-shocked from all that had happened in a month that he did not even notice. Mr. H stood still for a moment, listening to the silence with a strange look on his face.

"Welcome, Mr. Kitaniji. I've been expecting you."

* * *

**Author's Note: The World Ends With You is easily one of my favorite games for the Nintendo DS and I have been playing around with some ideas for a while. The story will focus on several characters, Kitaniji being at the center of it all. Please review; there is no greater compliment than a reader who has taken valuable time to acknowledge the author's work. **

**Crow**


	2. The Lost Entry Fee

**Chapter II: The Lost Entry Fee **

Kitaniji dazedly crossed the threshold that divided the entrance from the café. He had not even realized that he had been eavesdropping; there had been no time to think of his own condition when so much was happening around him. Subconsciously, he had resigned himself to the possibility that he was simply a ghost, but Mr. H acknowledging his presence gave him a sense of optimism as he stepped into WildKat.

"You can see me?" Kitaniji asked as he took a seat at the bar. Mr. H nodded.

"I'm sure you have many questions, and you will be pleased to learn that I have many answers."

"Mr. H…Mr. H…" Kitaniji repeated the name a few times out loud before he burst out laughing. "How perfect! Neku entered the Room of Reckoning thinking that you were the Composer. I did not even know who you were!"

"Yes, it's almost frightening how close Phones was to figuring everything out," Mr. H said, "but in the end, he mixed up the roles everyone served."

"Phones?"

"Neku. I guess it isn't a very suitable nickname for him anymore since he trashed his headphones."

"Why would he do that?" Kitaniji asked. Mr. H grinned.

"He's got friends now and he wants to hear the people around him. He told you did he not? Without conflict, we cannot expand our own views and the world ends at our borders."

"Ridiculous," Kitaniji muttered. Mr. H sighed remorsefully.

"You used to think the same way, Megumi."

"What do you mean?" Kitaniji asked, raising an eyebrow. "People are a waste of space. They drown out the beauty of the world with their incessant feuding."

"Hmm, most people don't know what their entry fees are when they play the Game. What do you think yours was?" Mr. H asked. Kitaniji paused. He had never given it any thought. Nothing felt off while he was playing against the Composer so he had assumed it was something irrelevant like a lost memory.

"I don't know," Kitaniji replied. "Why don't you tell me?"

"Well, why do you think you loved Shibuya so much?" Mr. H asked. Kitaniji frowned. He loved the art, he loved the music, he loved the scenery, and he loved everything that made it the city it was.

"Shouldn't that be an obvious answer?" He replied. "Everything about the city commands attention from the world."

"Including the ideas and trends that start with its lovely citizens," Mr. H said.

"That's impossible!" Kitaniji exclaimed in disgust. "People just exist to hurt others."

"Think about what you are saying for a moment," Mr. H gently prodded Kitaniji. "The very essence of the Reapers' Game is that two people are forced to partner up in order to survive. Shibuya has tens of thousands of people that make up its population. Loving Shibuya without the people is like loving the ocean without the water."

Kitaniji let Mr. H's words sink in for a moment. "So you're saying my entry fee was my love for people?" He asked. Mr. H nodded.

"Something like that. You still maintained a huge love for the city despite having your love for the people taken away which is impressive in itself. Unfortunately, without that love for the people, you started taking away everything from Shibuya that made it the city you loved in the first place!"

"Even if you are telling the truth, not having these emotions anymore just makes me realize how the world should be."

"Is that right?" Mr. H asked. "You didn't feel frightened at the thought that you might be a spirit that no one can see?"

"Judging from the way you say that, I am assuming I am not a spirit?" Kitaniji asked. Mr. H grinned.

"Very perceptive. To put it simply, the RG and UG are not the only planes of existence. There are many planes in between; the Higher Plane of Angels is the final fate for any material being."

"If I'm on another plane, how are you able to see me?" At this, Mr. H scratched his head rather awkwardly.

"People can communicate with people, Reapers can communicate with Reapers, and Angels can communicate with Angels." Kitaniji slapped his hand to his face and shook his head.

"This is crazy. How am I supposed to believe this is a realm of Angels?" Kitaniji jumped back and began swearing as he stubbed his foot. Mr. H had sprouted a pair of angelic wings and began soaring around his café with ease, successfully twirling into a dive with amazing efficiency for such a small room. Kitaniji tenderly nursed his foot as Mr. H landed.

"Okay, so you have proven your point," Kitaniji muttered. "So what happens to me now that I am an Angel?"

"Well, normally after the end of life as a Player or Reaper, people immediately ascend to the Higher Plane to spend eternity as an Angel. You, however, are in a slightly different situation than most beings. Your attachment to this world is so strong that you haven't even completely ascended yet. You are stuck in Limbo between the UG and the Higher Plane."

"Oh dear," Kitaniji cynically remarked. "And what am I supposed to do about that?"

"Well, you have several options. You can forget your attachment and ascend to the Higher Plane. You can remain as you are, in Limbo with no one to communicate with except for me and other semi-Angels–" At this point, Mr. H was cut off by Kitaniji.

"What do you mean semi-Angels?" Mr. H grimaced in spite of himself.

"I had to take on the stigma of "Fallen Angel" thanks to a bit of interference of mine during the previous game. The Reapers' Game is strictly between Players and Reapers; Angels are only supposed to monitor it, but I actively tried to help overthrow the Composer." Kitaniji scratched his chin. He had no idea that so much was happening behind the scenes within Shibuya.

"And what is my final option?" Mr. H grinned.

"You can be a Player in the Reapers' Game." Kitaniji felt as if his lungs had been doused with ice. He had been the Conductor for a number of years; he knew better than most the horrors that the Reapers' Game had to offer.

"How would that work? The Reapers' Game is meant to determine the fate of humans that have recently died. I have long since transcended that state. What benefits would come for an Angel to take part in the game?"

"You are a little bit of everything right now, Megumi. To participate in the game could restore you to the Reaper plane you were previously in."

Kitaniji twisted his goatee between his fingers in contemplation. If he ascended to the Higher Plane, his beloved Shibuya would be out of his reach forever. If he remained the way he currently was, he could experience the city with near complete solidarity. But what if Mr. H was right? What if he had previously held an intense love for humanity that had given Shibuya a quality even greater than the Shibuya he currently knew?

"Can I ever go back to how I was before the Composer took my entry fee?" He asked.

"Only the Composer can return what he has taken from you," Mr. H replied, "which is why I've sent the Harriers you saw moments ago out to find him."

"I see…well, I can't give you an answer as of right now, Mr. H," Kitaniji said. "I am perfectly content to remain alone in Shibuya right now, but the Composer is the one person in this world I consider worthy of my respect. I must see Him before I make a long-term decision."

"I understand. Even after losing your game to him, you still bear him no ill will?"

"None. Thanks for your time, Mr. H. Please keep in touch with me when you have heard from the Composer."

"Will do!" Mr. H waved as Kitaniji walked out the café. "So that's the only other person that Joshua could ever talk to before the last game…" Mr. H muttered. "What an interesting character."

* * *

Kitaniji stepped outside of the café and allowed the sunshine to warm his skin. So what if it was Limbo? The city was more beautiful than it had ever been. In fact…Kitaniji stared at the new artwork that had flooded the street since his erasure. CAT was naturally the most well-known street artist in all of Shibuya, but there were a number of unique additions that were clearly a different artist's doings. Strolling past WildKat, past Jupiter of the Monkey, and even past Miyashita Park, Kitaniji reached the underpass where a beautiful sight beheld his eyes. The walls that separated traffic had some new additions as well, but it was a large black and blue tiger that stole all attention from the walls. The only piece that could even compare was CAT's masterpiece in the Udagawa back streets.

"Who did this?" He asked out loud, quite speechless.

"…hooligans at it again, I tell you what!" An old man with a brown trench coat and a cane was walking by Kitaniji, speaking loudly to his associate, a taller and slightly younger gentleman with a moustache. The duo stopped to look at the graffiti before they continued walking. Kitaniji followed them curiously.

"So the vandals struck again last night?" The tall one asked.

"Damn tootin'! Them kids tagged Masanori Ito's store! The words "OPEN YOUR EARS" in big goofy letters! I ain't been so appalled since CAT appeared a while back!"

"Obviously these new artists are CAT fans. It's clear from how similar the work is. So what did Ito do?"

"Stupid idiot left it there! Said it was "rad!" I'd have had the police hunt those no-good punks down, I tell you what!"

_Neku _thought Kitaniji. He was the only person besides CAT whose Imagination was powerful enough to impact the entire city in such a short amount of time. His results in the Reapers' Game were proof enough of his qualifications. Without his anti-social attitude holding him back anymore, he was pursuing his passions at an alarming rate.

Kitaniji stood in front of this mural for several hours, feeling the descending sun on his back. The tiger was illuminated in the glow of the day's end, almost alive and moving in illusion. A small crowd of people had gathered around Kitaniji to stare at it. It was a truly mesmerizing sight as one by one, children and adults of all ages and social classes came together in appreciation of the unknown artist's piece. A thin man with dreadlocks sat down and began to strum a guitar, causing the growing group to join in celebration with dance and song. Kitaniji had never seen anything like it.

_Could Shibuya really be changing? This is absolutely incredible. Perfect harmony and not a single pin or psych to control their actions. _Kitaniji involuntarily felt his foot tapping to the beat and noticed a few people were rhythmically beating any solid surface they could find, creating a spectacle around the wall that extended all the way into traffic. People were stepping out of their vehicles and racing to see what all the commotion was about. Most of them joined in as well, save a few more grumpy old men. As the beat increased, a slow hum filled the air and a single word was protruding from everyone's lips.

"TIGER, TIGER, TIGER, TIGER!" This new graffiti artist, dubbed TIGER, was heard throughout Shibuya, and Kitaniji felt his love for the city intensify. Could it possibly have anything to do with these people and their tasteless exhibition? Kitaniji grinned, truly not able to understand the answer to his own question. Unbeknownst to him, Mr. H was watching him from within the crowd, blending in with the others to observe Kitaniji's reaction that no one else could see.

"Wow, Phones…you really are something," he muttered, his heart growing lighter as Kitaniji smiled. "You keep changing the world, one person at a time, and I will do the same. Megumi was the most tragic casualty from the last game. He WILL be saved."

* * *

**Author's Note: One of TWEWY's greatest mysteries, in my opinion, is what Kitaniji's entry fee was. I have not seen many solid interpretations when I search the net; the most plausible one I saw was that as he loved Shibuya so much, he was restricted to Dead God's Pad during the month-long duration of his game with Joshua. I came up with my own interpretation, and for the remainder of this story, he will experience a transformation similar to that of Neku's. Hope you guys enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

**Crow**


	3. An Angelic Vibe

**Chapter III: An Angelic Vibe**

"Ouch! Son of a bitch!" Yashiro screamed in frustration; relying on the phone's tracker had led Kariya and her to the back streets of Udagawa, only to be stopped by an invisible force. Since last night, she had been trying a variety of methods to bypass this obstacle; she was fairly certain the Composer was just beyond the wall.

"Might as well throw in the towel, Uzuki," Kariya said as he lazed on the ground with a sunroof shading him. Yashiro glared daggers at him, quickly shutting him up.

"We are RIGHT here," she said as she searched the perimeter. She had tried everything: flying over it, trying to shoot through it, creating Noise to attack it, everything. Kariya, on the other hand, had done absolutely nothing to assist her, a fact that was growing irksome.

"You can't do it, ya know," he drawled, and Yashiro wheeled around fuming.

"Then why don't you lend a fucking hand?" She pulled him up off the ground by the front, causing his glasses to slide down his face slightly. He tipped his head back, causing them to slide back to their proper place.

"It'd be pretty pointless," he replied.

"And why is that?" Yashiro closed her eyes, trying to maintain the semblance of patience.

"Girl, your Vibe is too low," Kariya laughed. Yashiro lost it and began shaking his head back and forth.

"What. The. Hell. Is. That. Supposed. To. Mean?" She screamed as she throttled his neck.

"Ah, wait a minute! Dammit…calm down, Uzuki!" He stuttered as she strangled him. The moment she let go of him, he dizzily cupped his hand over his mouth and vomited to the side. Yashiro jumped back in disgust.

"See," Kariya hacked, "the thing is, we've got somethin' called a Vibe. That's how we're able to transverse between the UG and the RG."

"Okay," Yashiro rolled her hands, wanting him to speed up.

"The Vibe we Reapers possess is only so high. The amount of Vibe we each possess is what allows different beings to exist on different planes. Since Reapers have a higher Vibe than humans, naturally, we can lower our Vibe and communicate in the RG."

"Kariya, you're just repeating a bunch of crap I already know! Get to the point!"

"Patience! Damn!" Kariya furrowed his brow for a moment. "Here's the long and the short of it: do you really think that a being powerful enough to bring Players back to life is going to have the same Vibe as a mere Reaper?"

"So what you're saying is this barrier restricts anyone that does not have a high enough Vibe?"

"Bingo," Kariya snapped his fingers. Yashiro's face grew red until she finally burst out crying. Kariya looked concerned.

"Oh, snap! Hey, hey, it's not that bad! I bet the Producer has a high enough Vibe to get through!"

"You big dummy; it's not that!" Yashiro sniffed. "How am I going to change the UG if I can't even get past a stupid barrier?" Kariya wrapped his arms around Yashiro.

"You worry too much, Uzuki. We've done all that we can do. It's time to report back to Mr. H so that he can decide our next move and we can get our Composer back." Yashiro hung her head quite ashamed and knew that Kariya was right. He was always right, even though she hated to admit it. He brushed her hair with his fingers soothingly as he picked up his phone and began scrolling through his contacts.

* * *

**Ring. Ring. Ring.**

"Damn," Mr. H muttered, forcing himself out of bed to reach for his phone. The Harrier duo hadn't been calling at an unreasonable hour; the TIGER spectacle had just lasted an absurdly long time before rumors spread that the Special Defense Force was being called in to break up the gathering. Everyone went scrambling after that, including Mr. H. Why he hadn't simply increased his Vibe to avoid the hassle was a mystery even to himself; perhaps he had simply grown fond of playing human.

"This is Mr. H, owner of WildKat, home of the bean. Remember, if the coffee isn't dark enough, we'll spill the beans!" He couldn't really hear what Kariya was muttering on the other end, but judging by the high-toned snorts of laughter, Mr. H felt it was safe to say he had just made Yashiro's day.

"So the Composer is where? Uh huh…and a barrier? Vibe? Oh, dear. I'm so sorry for sending the two of you out there like that. Yes, yes, this problem will be rectified. Thank you both for your hard work. Return home tonight and drop by WildKat tomorrow so we can discuss the next course of action. I hope to have the Composer back in the Reapers' Game by that point." Hanging up, he looked outside. Another beautiful day. Preparing himself a cup of coffee, he stepped out of his shop, locked the door, and whistled a merry tune as he began to comb the city for Kitaniji.

Kitaniji had not fallen asleep at the underpass; likely the noise had gotten to be too much commotion for him to take his rest there. Mr. H knew of a place, however, that he could imagine Kitaniji camping out at. Sure enough, Towa Records had itself one more employee than normal when Mr. H walked through the doors.

"How's it going, man? The shop keeper Yoji Iwata asked as Mr. H stepped inside.

"It's a wonderful world," Mr. H replied coyly. "How long has he been working here?" Mr. H pointed his thumb towards Kitaniji who was quickly labeling and organizing various used CDs simply by listening to the first few seconds of the first track on every disk.

"Since last night. Bro came in, said he'd work for me in exchange for a place to sleep. You wouldn't guess just by looking at his getup, but he loves music. I've never met anyone able to identify all the music this shop has, but it's hard not to trust a guy with specs like that."

"Indeed," Mr. H laughed. Kitaniji looked up at him as he finished labeling.

"Mr. H, good to see you again. How can I help you?"

"Oh, can the formalities, Megumi. I came here to ask you for a favor."

"That would depend on the favor," Kitaniji replied. "This man was gracious enough to give me a place to sleep; I'm not eager to skip out on that hospitality he has shown me."

"We have found the Composer," Mr. H replied, causing Kitaniji to nearly drop the disk he was handling.

"Where at?" Kitaniji asked after he had regained his composure.

"The Udagawa back streets," Mr. H replied. "However, there's a barrier up that no simple Reaper could breach. Since you wanted to speak to the Composer anyway, I would like to commission you with the task of getting the Composer to return."

"I…see," Kitaniji muttered, pausing to think. Whatever faults Kitaniji had, he was a man of action. To put off the inevitable choice of deciding whether to completely convert to an Angel, Reaper, or to remain in Limbo was not a delay he desired to make.

"I will go talk to Him," Kitaniji decided. Mr. H clapped his hands in delight.

"Wonderful! You shouldn't have any problems getting through his barrier. Your Vibe should be about the same as his."

"We share…the same Vibe?" Kitaniji asked.

"Well, yes," Mr. H frowned. "The Composer endured the same processes as all eventually must. He started off as a Player, winning an incredible amount of Games in a row long before most of the current Reapers were around to remember. At one point, he finally started to ascend to the Plane of Angels, but he had grown so fond of the Game and Shibuya that he returned and illegally entered the Game once more and overthrew the Composer, securing his place as the Game's deity for many years since. An Angel cannot be the Composer because it would be impossible for change to occur if the other Reapers or Players decided things weren't being done properly. Furthermore, the Producer is elected by the Angels to guide the progress of the Game, and it would be difficult for the Producer to enforce the rules if the Composer were more powerful than the Producer." Kitaniji stared at Mr. H.

"So you claim to be more powerful than the Composer?" He asked shocked. Mr. H solemnly nodded his head.

"Ridiculous," Kitaniji muttered. He turned his head and called out, "Thanks for the housing, Mr. Iwata. Unfortunately, something important has come up and I won't be able to stay another night."

"Aww, man! Well, drop by anytime, Megumi!" Kitaniji's boss called out. Kitaniji waved his hand as he stepped out, leaving Mr. H to be hounded by an eager merchant.

Kitaniji knew Shibuya like the back of his hand. Southwest from Towa Records was the Shibuya Department Store; continue in that direction to reach the scramble crossing where the Center Street entrance would lead to the AMX. Proceeding west took him to Tipsy Tose Hall, where he passed by a disgruntled Yashiro and Kariya, unbeknownst to them. Continuing west, he went past Shibu-Q Heads until finally he reached the Udagawa Back Streets. While his in-depth knowledge of the city's layout had no doubt spared him much grief where a tourist would be helplessly lost, it still took Kitaniji nearly over an hour of walking to reach his destination. Fortunately, his music was useful for staving off the boredom of such a laborious journey.

The location of the barrier seemed obvious to Kitaniji before he had even arrived at the Backstreets. He saw several people in the RG stop directly past Cyco Records, déjà vu suddenly appearing on their faces before they simply turned around and walked away. It was only natural that normal people would not feel the barrier; rather, it would affect their state of mind and cause them to remember some chore or item of urgent business that might not have previously existed. Still, Kitaniji chuckled sympathetically. Wild Boar would have virtually no business today.

Kitaniji carefully stepped past Cyco Records, anticipating a supernatural rejection of his presence. The very notion that he could possess the same Vibe as the Composer was absurd. Aside from Shibuya, serving the Composer was the most important aspect of Kitaniji's life. Surely He was still on a higher level than Kitaniji could ever aspire to reach. Yet as Kitaniji passed through the barrier without so much as a tingle sweeping over his body, he knew that the undeniable truth was that the Composer and he were now on the same plane of existence… As he stepped past Wild Boar, Kitaniji beheld a glorious light consuming a lordly figure with a radiating luster.

"It's been a while, Megumi."

* * *

**Author's Note: I wasn't really planning on it, but I have grown interested in exploring the relationship between Kariya and Yashiro as a side story. Kitaniji will still be the primary focus, but I think everyone's favorite Reaper duo deserves some of the spotlight. Plus, I have a surprise plot twist that I have been growing excited about for a while. It will not be revealed in the next chapter, but hopefully Chapter V or VI will reveal the idea I have been playing around with for a while. Even now, the ending is starting to take shape in my head, and it is still quite a long ways off. I hope you guys are enjoying this; don't forget to review and follow!**

**Crow**


	4. The Composer's Chains

**Chapter IV: The Composer's Chains**

Kitaniji stepped before the Composer with absolute reverence. His illuminated figure seemed to tear through the skies. It was precisely because of this brilliance that Kitaniji had started wearing shades in the first place. He felt his breath taken away as he grew closer to Him.

"Sir!" He bowed his head humbly. The Composer chuckled.

"Now, now, Megumi. You shouldn't have that type of attitude towards someone who erased you. It's not healthy for you."

"Sir, I…" The Composer raised His hand.

"Megumi, why are you here?" He asked. "Did Hanekoma send you here?"

"That is irrelevant, Sir," Kitaniji replied. "I've got a lot of questions for you, and I pray that you will answer them." The Composer raised His eyebrow.

"You've gotten quite cheeky as of late, haven't you Megumi? Asking me to spare Shibuya and now trying to answer my question with your own…though I must say, I rather like this side of you. Go ahead and ask." Kitaniji put his hand to his chin. He had so many questions, but He was already being generous by simply agreeing to answer any questions at all.

"I suppose my first question is…is it possible to earn my entry fee back?" At this, the Composer burst out laughing.

"Oh, Megumi! You never cease to amuse me! Entry fees can never be returned; you're stuck with what you've got."

"I see," Kitaniji replied, undeterred. "Why did you choose to spare Shibuya and then go into hiding afterwards?" The luminous figure before him breathed a sigh of remorse.

"How long do you think I have been the Composer, Megumi?"

"I am unsure, Sir," Megumi replied. At this, the Composer seemed to look back at a time before time.

"I have been the Composer since before you were ever even aware of the UG's existence. The rules that dictate the position of Composer restrict my communication solely to the Conductor and the Producer. Entering the Game as Neku's partner forced me to do something I haven't done in years: socialize."

"Socialize, Sir?"

"Not that you and Hanekoma weren't splendid company," the Composer laughed, "but I know how to communicate with you two. Neku was a different story and after making a connection with him, I realized that even when I existed solely in the RG, I never knew what friendship was. The Composer's existence is a lonesome one, Megumi."

"I'm…sorry," Kitaniji replied, not quite sure how to respond. The cool and level-headed Composer had a painful backstory that he had never heard from Him before. Kitaniji felt at His level more than ever now as he realized that He was quite capable of human emotion.

"I did not erase Shibuya because Neku showed me a side of myself that I had long forgotten existed. Shibuya is a beautiful city, and it would not be what it is without the people." Kitaniji snapped to attention at this. Mr. H had said the same thing.

"What makes you so sure, if I may ask?"

"Shall we go through some of the more interesting Players of the previous Games?" The Composer began ticking his fingers off as he counted. "A three-time Game survivor who has the potential to be the most famous graffiti artist of all time, a self-conscious girl who took on the appearance of her best friend despite prizing her own appearance above all, a sibling pair who tried to save one another in the RG and UG in the same manner, and if I am butchering all modesty, myself, the Composer. All Shibuya-based civilians. Five people in this vast city of thousands. Can you imagine what this collective city is capable of?"

Megumi nodded his head, slowly understanding what Mr. H, the Composer, and even Neku had all tried to tell him. He needed this city, and even if he could never regain the love for people that he previously had, he needed the people as well. This realization filled him with power.

"You are right. Thank you," he said, bowing his head deeply.

"I take it you found some answers?" The Composer asked, a pleasant expression on His face.

"Yes, Sir," Kitaniji tilted his shades back with two careful fingers. "Now I have one final request to make of you."

"Shoot."

"Please return to the Game," Kitaniji said. The Composer chuckled.

"I might have known you would ask something like that. Unfortunately, I'm not in the mood for any Games right now, Megumi."

"Please, Sir. You are the only one who can fulfill the deepest desires of the Reapers' Game winners.

"And tell me, what do their desires amount to when I am reduced to the Angels' slave? I have no desire to continue being the Composer…"

"Can you not hand someone else the position?" Kitaniji questioned.

"Please, if it were that easy, don't you think I would have done it by now? Only a select few can actually become the Composer. To become the Composer entails erasing the previous Composer with a high enough Imagination to make your Vibe semi-Angel. A Reaper is incapable of bringing people back to life and an Angel is too powerful to leave in complete control of a city dominated by mortals."

"Please excuse my incompetence, but why is a Reaper incapable?" Kitaniji asked puzzled. "I was given the right to control other Reapers, imprint on Pins, and even override the rules of the UG, simply because I was the Conductor."

"True, but in your case, the Conductor is nothing more or less than the most worthy Reaper, as determined by me, the Composer. Therefore, as the best Reaper, you had a stronger Imagination and a higher Vibe than most, but only slightly. When I acknowledged you as the Composer, my word carried my Imagination and bestowed you with additional power. To be the Composer, however, you must have transcended the borders that define a Reaper, and passed into Limbo or higher. A normal Reaper could no more hope to be the Composer than I could hope to be the Producer."

"So Beat or Minamimoto defeating you and becoming the Composer…"

"Probably wouldn't have happened," the Composer nodded. "Since Imagination is what determines one's Vibe, a lower Vibe attacking a high Vibe is like a boy with a water gun attacking a member of the Special Defense Force wearing a bulletproof vest. It is absurd. Neku, however, was my proxy. Simply being in contact with me coupled with his already powerful Imagination gave him the potential to actually succeed, had he pulled the trigger. Ah, but it would have been a lonely existence for him afterward!"

"Sir?"

"Hmm? Oh! Sorry, just reminiscing. But long story short, the odds of being able to overthrow me as the Composer are slim to none."

"Sir, if you come back with me, I will swear to free you from your responsibility as Shibuya's Composer." The Composer raised his eyebrow.

"And how will you do that?"

"I will enter the next Game myself." For the first time Kitaniji had ever witnessed, the Composer burst out laughing. It was the first true laughter Kitaniji could ever remember seeing from this dry-witted character. "Did I say something funny, Sir?"

"You have already been erased playing a Game with me, yet here you are again. You are a glutton for punishment, are you not? Another Game…interesting. You just might do it too. You passing through my barrier is proof enough of your current power. To be honest, I only expected Hanekoma to breach it."

"I am quite serious," Kitaniji replied, though much like the first time he challenged the Composer, he felt a great dread growing inside him. Sweat slowly dripped down his brow and he stuffed his shivering hands into his pockets, lest He see Kitaniji's fear. Like a finely honed predator though, the Composer seemed to taste something in the air that alerted Him as to Kitaniji's emotions.

"Oh, Megumi," He said with a trace of pity in His voice, though this was mostly overshadowed by amusement, "you try so hard for everyone but yourself. You are in Limbo. You can ascend right now and be done of this wretched existence."

"I will remain for Shibuya," Kitaniji replied. "And I truly believe I can free you from your chains. No, I WILL free you from these chains." The Composer sighed.

"You have been a very loyal subordinate to me, but I am not asking you to do this for me. You have died in the RG and been erased in the UG. All that awaits you if you fail this time is oblivion. Don't do this for me."

"I choose to save you," Kitaniji said, and although he was still shaking, he was firmly resolved. "Return with me and perhaps everyone can get what they most desire."

"What I most desire…" The Composer stared at the CAT mural behind him for a long moment. "You are absolutely right, Megumi. I shall return with you, but be ready for a dogfight. I am not loath to give up my position, but I will not forfeit Shibuya to someone else's jurisdiction unless they are even more qualified than myself."

"You do me a great honor by playing me at your best," Kitaniji grinned, the sinking feeling in his stomach slowly clearing up. "Well Sir, shall we?" Taking one last look at the mural, the Composer bowed His head and followed His former right-hand man away from Udagawa. The duo traveled all the way back to WildKat, where an enthusiastic Mr. H fed and sheltered the duo for no charge (though he did try to coax them into buying some coffee, but to no avail). As Kitaniji fell asleep in one of Mr. H's guest rooms, the Producer and Composer were having their own conversation.

"So ya decided to return," Mr. H muttered, using soft tones so as not to disturb Kitaniji. This was quite unnecessary as his guest had fallen asleep with his headphones on.

"Yes. Tell me, what do you think of Megumi?" Asked the Composer, twirling a strand of hair with His fingers. "And don't act as though he is a mere subordinate. You have as sharp an eye as any when it comes to gauging potential."

"He fascinates me," Mr. H admitted. "He reminds me of an older Phones."

"Doesn't he?" The Composer played around with His phone. "Neku was an exceptional Player, but Megumi is in his own class. I admit, it will be a heartfelt loss when he fails."

"When he fails?" Mr. H asked. "You seem lacking in confidence, Joshua. Surely your experiences with Neku taught you better than to underestimate others."

"Granted," the Composer submitted, "but Neku represented me, whereas Megumi merely spoke for me. Megumi is a microphone, an amplifier, but that does no good with no one else speaking. Neku, on the other hand, was my proxy, my opening performer. An opening performer generally lacks the experience of the upcoming bands, but they can still hold their own."

"You don't give Megumi enough credit," Mr. H scolded. The Composer merely shrugged.

"What's meant to happen will happen. Regardless of the outcome, I am excited. Megumi always makes for an interesting challenger."

"Are you a little more optimistic now?" Mr. H asked.

"This will be the final Game," the Composer concluded the conversation, "for him, or for me."

* * *

**Author's Note: Out of pure devotion for my beloved readers, I resolved to complete this chapter before the Christmas festivities began, though I am sure this will be the last thing on anyone's mind, now that it is officially Christmas. I have started another TWEWY series called Live in the Moment; be sure to check it out if you haven't already! Read, review, follow.**

**Crow**


	5. The Harrier Game Master

**Chapter V: The Harrier Game Master**

Yashiro and Kariya entered Mr. H's café bright and early. Kariya never thought he would see the day that HE would be the one dragging Yashiro to work, but she was still in an exceptionally foul mood from their failure at the hands of the Composer's barrier.

"Uzuki, try to stay calm today," Kariya muttered in an undertone as they stepped past the chairs that were still pulled out from the dinner Mr. H had apparently been entertaining the previous night. There was no one currently occupying the bar despite the text Mr. H had sent the duo, asking them both to swing by ASAP.

"You don't need to tell me that," Yashiro retorted stiffly. "I'm just not in the mood for BS today."

"Now why would you expect BS from me?" Mr. H's loud voice rang out cheerfully, leaving no room for confrontational attitudes. Yashiro looked embarrassed, though Kariya just put an arm around her neck with a grin.

"No offense," he said. "Uzuki was just bummed out from yesterday."

"I understand. You'll both be happy to learn that we were able to recover the Composer, meaning that we can now reward Players with life or ascension, should they win the Game."

"Greatttt," Yashiro muttered, causing Kariya to elbow her in the gut. Mr. H's mouth curved into a smile.

"So all we need right now is a Conductor and a Game Master. Since we are still a bit short-handed, but we desperately need to resume the Game, I have received permission to serve as both the Conductor and the Producer for the following Game only."

"Permission from whom?" Kariya narrowed his eyes. Mr. H grinned.

"Unfortunately, only the Composer and I are privy to that sorta information. Don't worry though; it's all legit." Kariya still looked suspicious, but Yashiro was dutifully alert now that the subject of the conversation was steering back towards rank.

"And the Game Master?" She asked. Mr. H's grin grew even wider.

"That's why I have called you two here. Missy, how would you like to be the Game Master for the next Reapers' Game?" Yashiro screamed at the top of her lungs, causing both Mr. H and Kariya to wince.

"Ohmygawd, ohmygawd, ohmygawd!" She repeated ecstatically. Kariya slapped his hand over her mouth.

"How's Uzuki gonna be the Game Master?" He asked. "She ain't even an Officer yet." He felt Yashiro protest angrily into his hand.

"I am aware, but we are short-handed on Officers at the moment. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work that Officers are needed for. We cannot afford to spare them at the moment. I just figured that since you came up short yesterday with the barrier, you might like another chance for a promotion."

"A promotion?" Yashiro squealed.

"Of course. If you accept my offer, you will be the first Harrier-ranked Game Master Shibuya has ever had. An impressive resume booster, wouldn't you say?"

"I'll do it!" Yashiro exclaimed. Kariya bit his lip, but did not say anything.

"Wonderful!" Mr. H was positively rapturous with delight. "We shall begin almost immediately. How long would it take you to prepare a week of missions?"

"I can have a full schedule prepared by tomorrow," Yashiro said. Mr. H nodded approvingly.

"Excellent, then we shall start a Game tomorrow. I'll let you take your leave, but before you go, there is something you need to know about the next Game." The Harriers looked at him curiously.

"The next Game," Mr. H began, "will not be an average Reapers' Game. It is what some Reaper divisions in other cities refer to as a "Cleanup Game."

"A Cleanup Game?" Yashiro asked.

"Yup. When a Player goes through a Game several times, it is a rare occurrence that adds a bit of flavor and increases the Imagination that circulates through the Reapers' Game. On the other hand, when a Reaper plays in the Reapers' Game, it is an EXTREMELY rare occurrence that requires approval from numerous higher-ups. Should a Reaper succeed, the conditions that apply to a Player's success are applied to a Reaper's as well. It is referred to as a "Cleanup Game" because ideally, Reapers are not supposed to succeed. No Reapers with a positive standing would subject themselves to the Reapers' Game."

"So I have a Reaper Player in the next Game?" Yashiro stared. In her two years as a Reaper, she had never heard of such a thing. Mr. H laughed.

"Does this make you want to back out?"

"Not a chance," Yashiro said. "Being the Game Master of a Cleanup Game sounds even better than being the Game Master of a normal Game! I accept your offer, Mr. H!"

"I'm glad to hear it," Mr. H said. "You still have my number. Text or call me if there are any problems. I expect to see you at 7 a.m. tomorrow."

"Thank you, sir!" Yashiro quickly left WildKat. Kariya hesitated, still wanting to talk to Mr. H, but he thought better of it and pursued Yashiro out the door. Mr. H just chuckled.

"Uzuki!" Kariya yelled after her. She turned around excited.

"Isn't it great, Kariya? I'm the Game Master!"

"Uzuki, please don't do this." Yashiro's face became incredulous for a moment before it twisted with rage.

"Don't do this? Have you been paying any attention to me at all the entire time that we've been partners? Being an Officer is my dream! I'm so close! Why in the hell shouldn't I take this chance?"

"You aren't ready yet, Uzuki. I know you want it, but this is a huge responsibility and you already have a good gig going on as a Harrier…"

"Just because YOU are content being a laid-back Harrier doesn't mean I am. I want more, Kariya. You aren't going to interfere with this. As Game Master, I am your superior for the next seven days. That means if I tell you to fuck off, you had better leave me alone."

"Uzuki!"

"Fuck off." Yashiro walked away, Kariya already forgotten. Her exceptionally cool-headed partner was rattled for the first time ever, and sank to his knees speechless. The Composer and Mr. H watched the scene silently from WildKat.

"You can be a pretty cruel guy," the Composer laughed. Mr. H did not look amused.

"I am going through a lot of trouble to make Megumi's plan work. People are going to hurt in this Game, but they will grow too."

"Conspiring against me again, eh? How sad. But I'll tell you what I told Megumi: I'm not turning over my jurisdiction to anyone who cannot truly best me. This is my Shibuya as of right now, and I am not turning it over to an unworthy Composer."

"The Angels approved this Harrier Game Master," Mr. H retorted. "She might be lacking in experience, but she is qualified to be a Game Master. However, since she lacks experience and is better with tag-team fighting, Megumi should be able to take care of her. You can't prevent this, Joshua."

"What was that you were telling me just the other day about not underestimating people? Yashiro is my proxy this game; she just doesn't know it. Furthermore, as both the Conductor and the Producer, you are duty-bound to ensure that this Game runs according to my will. And there is something I want you to do." Mr. H felt as though the Composer was physically assaulting him. He tensed up as if it would provide his body some sort of defense from the request he knew the Composer would make of him.

"What is it?"

"Only Officers are able to summon a Noise counterpart for the final day," Joshua said pleasantly, "and as you have so kindly reminded me, our Game Master for tomorrow is not an Officer. Therefore, I want you to give her yours."

"Panthera Cantus?" Mr. H croaked weakly. "You don't think that's a little excessive for a mere Game?"

"This is the Game that determines if Megumi is fit to be the Composer, or if I stick around longer. There is no such thing as too excessive with these conditions."

"Some would think you don't really want to give up your position," Mr. H muttered vindictively. The Composer smiled widely.

"Oh, trust me, I do. But since Neku was able to make me spare Shibuya, naturally I care enough to want to guarantee its well-being. Either way, it's not optional, Hanekoma. As both my voice and the guardian of the Game, you have no choice but to obey me." Mr. H bowed his head in defeat.

"Very well. But don't underestimate the Players. Megumi isn't going to be the only interesting Player this go around."

"I'm well aware of this," the Composer said, "which is why this next Game will be one of the most interesting yet."

"No doubt," Mr. H replied, glancing back inside towards the guest room where Kitaniji was still sleeping. Little did the poor bastard realize that the Composer was not willing to submit to his own desires as easily as would be expected, but no doubt, Shibuya's former Conductor was prepared. To preserve the artistically growing Shibuya and free the Composer, Kitaniji would do anything.

* * *

**Author's Note: Oh dear. Looks like Kariya got his heart broken by Yashiro! What will our hero do next? …oh, that's right! Kitaniji is our primary protagonist! And in the next chapter, he's going to find himself in the Reapers' Game. But rest assured, Kariya is by no means out of the picture! Got a double surprise for my next update, so look forward to next time.**

**Crow**


	6. Survive

**Chapter VI: Survive**

**Day I – Part I**

Kitaniji awoke at the scramble crossing on the ground with a start. It had been a long time since he had felt these sensations in such vividness: the dread of being trapped in the Reapers' Game, the initial confusion that naturally accompanies the act of waking up in the middle of the street, and the adrenaline that few would admit comes with being a Player. Combined, Kitaniji was quite sure he would vomit, but as he sorted out these emotions, he regained an eerie sense of calm.

_I've done this before; I can do it again. Hell, Neku did it three times! _Kitaniji determinedly clenched his fist and stared at it with resolve before realizing a shocking phenomenon in his peripheral vision. Piles of people were laying down in the streets, slowly getting up and looking around in shock.

"Where are we?"

"What's going on?"

"You can see me. Why can't these people see me?"

The questions were running rampant. Kitaniji glanced at his phone. Still no text with a mission. That, plus all of these Players. Something was terribly wrong.

"Ahem!" Everyone heard a loud, girly voice echo high in the skies. Looking up, they beheld a young-looking woman with bright pink hair and lips, a blue gloved sweater, some very revealing black shorts, and large white boots that extended up to her knees. A pair of black wings towered over her shoulders, much like a pair of skeletal wings.

"Oh, God. It's the Grim Reaper," a few people frantically muttered. The girl caught these rumors and laughed a loud, derisive laugh.

"You are too kind, but I am not a specific deity of death. I am just your lovely hostess for this week's Reapers' Game!"

"Reapers' Game?"

"What is she talking about?"

"If you will all just calm down a moment, I will explain the rules," the woman patiently said. As everyone grew silent, she opened her mouth, and as if enhanced by a microphone, her voice boomed throughout the UG of Shibuya.

"HEAR ME PLAYERS! YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN A VERY SPECIAL REAPERS' GAME. BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY OF YOU THIS GO AROUND, THE RULES ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN THEY WOULD BE UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THE NOISE ARE NOT BOUND BY THE TRADITIONAL RULES OF THE GAME; NEITHER ARE THE REAPERS. USE YOUR IMAGINATION, MAKE A PACT WITH ANOTHER PLAYER, AND DEFEAT THE MONSTERS THAT STALK YOU. YOUR ONE AND ONLY MISSION IS THIS: SURVIVE. YOU HAVE SEVEN DAYS. SUCCEED, AND YOU WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE. FAIL, AND YOU SHALL EXPERIENCE ERASURE. LET THE GAME BEGIN!"

With the snap of her fingers, the Game Master disappeared in an ominous black cloud. Kitaniji did not recognize this Game Master as a Reaper Officer during his time as Conductor, but this was of no matter. The objective was simple enough, but before anything, he would have to find a Player to make a pact with, and fast. If numerous years as the Conductor had taught him anything, it was to listen to his gut instinct, and every last fiber in his body was screaming for him to get as far away from the scramble crossing as he could. Taking off in a dead sprint, Kitaniji knew he made the correct decision as the city erupted into screams of horror. Lifting his shades at an angle to reflect his background, Kitaniji saw numerous Noise manifesting themselves out of thin air. But these were not simply low-level Noise. There were some very powerful Noise that even an experienced Player would have trouble dealing with, and Kitaniji, one of the most powerful and experienced Reapers of his generation, recognized each and every one of them. There was a Mammoth R & B stomping viciously on any poor Player who crossed paths with it. Several Circle Pit Grizzlies were charging through the streets, mauling Players who crossed their paths. Ragtime Drakes were snatching dinner from the air, victims screaming as they soared over Shibuya. Infuriated by the escaping prey, they began firing laser blasts from their mouths.

Kitaniji ducked to avoid the energy beams scattered throughout the city. One smashed over his head, causing glass to shatter directly over his head. Jumping as far as he could, Kitaniji somehow managed to avoid being skewered by a particularly large shard. Changing his tumble into a protective roll, he was able to resume running with only minimal delay.

_Partner, partner, partner! Must find a partner!" _Kitaniji was not the sort of person who judged a book by its cover, but he was able to gauge a lot about an individual judging by appearance alone. Clothing and accessories say a lot about the level of Imagination that an individual possesses, as evident by Neku's headphones, Shiki's stuffed animal, and Beat's skateboard. There were items that reflected the potential these previous victorious Players had. If Kitaniji could identify just one Player who had this potential, he would have himself a partner!

Escaping the scramble crossing was his first priority, but it became evident very quickly that walls had been imposed by the Reapers as Players wailed in front of the entrance to other parts of Shibuya. Noise slowly cornered people at every wall; Kitaniji happened to be stuck next to the Center Street entrance with a small crowd of Players.

"It's over!" A hysterical woman wailed despairingly. A teenaged man slapped her across the face.

"Don't be such a pussy! It ain't over till it's over!" He glared at the Ragtime Drake approaching them. It was charging up for a death blow. Kitaniji's thoughts raced rapidly. Without a partner, he was completely screwed. He scanned the crowd quickly, finding no one up to his standards.

_Guess I'll have to settle _Kitaniji thought bitterly. As he was about to make a pact with a random stranger, he heard the approaching drake roar in anguish. Looking up, he heard multiple shots fired as the drake collapsed to the ground. Similar shots echoed throughout the city, and everyone began to scramble as the Noise ranks were thinned out. The shots were coming from several directions in the city and Kitaniji realized with a start that several Players were holding Reaper designated guns and were rapidly killing off the enemy hoard. Kitaniji noticed that the fiery man from the same crowd as him was in possession of one as well, and he was taking care of these beasts with ease. Kitaniji grabbed him firmly by the front of his shirt.

"Where did you get these guns?" He demanded. The man looked surprised, but only slightly.

"Settle down, bro. I'm doing you a favor!"

"Answer my question! How are human Players in possession of Reaper authorized guns?"

"Human Players? So I take it you are Megumi Kitaniji?" He asked, raising his eyebrow. Kitaniji released him in surprise.

"How did you know that?"

"Good intel, man. Our leader forewarned us of what was about to go down, and he handed us out these guns. He's actually looking for you."

"Who is your leader?" Kitaniji asked. At this, the man rubbed his chin for a moment before he burst out laughing.

"Now that you ask, I'm not even sure what his name is. We woke up here and he approached some random people, handed out these guns, and told us what was about to happen. We didn't believe him until that woman appeared, but he told us that if we followed his instructions, he would help us all avoid erasure."

"I see," Kitaniji frowned. He did not know who would have connections to the inner workings of the Reaper world, unless Mr. H was interfering with this Game on Kitaniji's behalf as well. But if this were the case, why would he not simply go to Kitaniji in the first place?

"You should go find him though. Here, take this." He handed his gun to Kitaniji who looked at him shocked.

"You need this more than I do," Kitaniji argued. The man shook his head.

"Nah, bro. I've formed a pact, so I'm set. Until you have found our leader, you have more need of it than I do."

"I see, in that case, thanks." Kitaniji took the gun graciously, quickly regaining the memory of firing it. He took it and scored a headshot with ease on a lesser Noise that was approaching from behind. The man looked at him impressed.

"No wonder bro's so interested in you. That's some mad skill you got there." Kitaniji nodded, cocking the gun in front of him.

"Thank you for your assistance. I will find you again after I've found your leader, Mr…"

"Cato," the man replied. "Name's Cato. Good luck, dude." Kitaniji nodded and took off, shooting any Noise that got in his way. At this point, many of the Players were forming pacts with other Players, but Kitaniji no longer felt concerned. Reaper-made guns were the ultimate loophole to the Reapers' Game; partners were not needed to activate them, yet they were still able to eliminate the Noise, particularly in the hands of a skilled user. The only reason this loophole had never been exposed was because no Player had ever gotten their hands on such a weapon before. Kitaniji noticed that most of the remaining Players had formed pacts and now had themselves partners which would allow them to tap into their Imagination. Kitaniji was still in a tighter bind than most of these Players, but his finely honed instincts allowed him to dodge all of the obstacles that were still running loose.

Most of the Noise were eliminated by this point, yet Kitaniji still could not find the mysterious leader Cato spoke of. The Players were starting to come together to crush the last bit of resistance from the Noise, when a horrifying roar pierced the UG. Looking up, a golden wyvern flew down from the sun, landing with an earthshattering thud. Kitaniji recognized this Noise as well, though it was significantly rarer than its Ragtime counterpart. It was the Goth Metal Drake, a heavily armored offensive nightmare. Its snarling presence caught the Players completely by surprise and dread resonated throughout the scramble.

"Shoot it!" Kitaniji heard a Player yell, and everyone began firing on it. Kitaniji held his shots carefully though, for he knew that only a well-placed shot could harm the creäture. Indeed, all of the other shots bounced off its armored hide, and the Players that had come together to finish off the smaller Noise found themselves cornered once again. Its eyes flashed with bloodlust as a beam of energy began charging in its mouth. Due to the weight of its armor, it was slower than its counterpart as it approached, but Kitaniji knew as soon as it fired, any Player in its trajectory would face certain death, and a painful one at that. As the Players in its path began to panic, a single shot rang loudly. The Goth Metal Drake crumbled to the ground painfully, blood spilling from its eyes as a well-placed shot from a Reaper's gun had blinded it. The Players watched in awe as a man jumped from the roof of a nearby building, hitting the ground directly beside Kitaniji. As Kitaniji took in a black hat and red bandana over long silver hair, a black trench coat, black jeans with several tears in it, and sturdy black boots, he felt a surge of shock as he recognized the figure in front of him. The man turned his head towards the Players and loudly barked a favorite insult that Neku Sakurabi had previously come to hate.

"Settle down you stupid hectopascals!"

* * *

**Author's Note: Double update! I have been working on this series for a month (as of January 2) and I thought I would do something special to celebrate this series I have become so obsessed with. Be sure to check out Chapter 7 and you can see how Day 1 ends. And as for the surprise I promised a few chapters ago, it is related to the surprise appearance at the end of this chapter. Looks like Kitaniji has himself a partner! **

**Crow**


	7. The Player Alliance

**Chapter VII: The Player Alliance**

**Day I – Part II**

"Full schedule, huh?" Mr. H grinned. Yashiro waved her hand carelessly, dismissing his quip about her limited mission listing.

"Even a Partner-less player stands a slight chance at surviving. It's not the traditional Reapers' Game mission scenario, but neither were Minamino's and Konishi's."

"True enough," Mr. H submitted. "How will you keep the Game interesting for the next six days though?"

"I'll decide that after I learn which Players are remaining," Yashiro replied.

"Really? I assumed an ambitious girl like yourself woulda memorized each and every Player in your Game." Mr. H laughed, causing a blush to rapidly creep over Yashiro's face.

"I wanted to, but Kariya stole my list…I think he wants me to fail…"

"Aww, missy!" Mr. H sympathetically patted her on the back. "Your partner seems pretty devoted to you. I'm sure anythin' he does is with your best interests in mind."

"Bullshit," Yashiro muttered, her private emotions dancing in her eyes to the perspective Mr. H.

"Look, the Game is off to a great start. Just keep it goin' and doin' your thing. Oh, and I have somethin' for you."

"Huh?" Yashiro was startled. Now that the Game was in motion, what did he have to give her? Had she overlooked something?

"Here," Mr. H handed her a pair of feathers, red and blue. Yashiro took them carefully, suspicious that Mr. H might be pulling a practical joke of her. On the other hand, the UG functions significantly differently than the RG and anything that can serve as a container for Imagination holds potential boundless power.

"What is it?" Yashiro asked as she crinkled her nose in front of the feathers.

"Your Noise for the final day," Mr. H replied unenthusiastically. Yashiro perked up at this; she HAD in fact forgotten that traditional Games make use of a Reaper Officer's Noise form, which she did not have.

"And whose Noise is this?" She asked. A slight pause.

"Mine." Yashiro's eyes widened before her face split into a sly grin.

"I see. You don't seem happy though?"

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't acting on the Composer's orders. He wishes for you to have the same chance that anyone else would have as Game Master."

"Does he now? I'm so happy; thank you, Mr. H!" As Mr. H left her lair with a wave, the Harrier Game Master started giggling before she erupted with maniacal laughter.

* * *

The Players' savior stood in front of the cornered group, calmly observing the thrashing beast that was futilely attempting to regain its sight. Though his clothes were significantly more tattered and his body bore more (of what appeared to be) tattoos than the last time Kitaniji had encountered him, there was no doubt whom the mysterious man Cato had received his gun from had been. Sho Minamimoto was seeking to dominate the Reapers' Game in the unlikely position of a Player.

"Yo, Megs! So it's true. How'd you get stuck in the Reapers' Game?" Minamimoto asked, holding his gun steadily on the Noise.

"Got erased and stuck in Limbo between the UG and the Higher Plane. Why are YOU here?" Kitaniji asked incredulously.

"Well, the Reapers seemed to think that I was a few vertices short of a polygon when they learned I had siccd Taboo Noise on both Players and Reapers. They were gonna have me erased, but they decided to give me a chance," Minamimoto replied.

"Why is that?"

"Heard another variable came into the equation."

"The Producer?" Kitaniji asked. Mr. H even had a connection with Minamimoto? He had not been expecting that.

"That was my calculated solution," Minamimoto agreed. "Megs, we can compare and contrast later. We need multiple points to have a matrix, ya dig?"

"You've been seeking me as your partner?" Kitaniji asked.

"Correct! M^2 (Megumi + Minamimoto) = Infinity!" Minamimoto exclaimed enthusiastically, cracking his hand. "Reaper guns only take you so far. We need another variable to complete our equation."

"_OUR_ equation?" Kitaniji asked. Minamimoto narrowed his eyes as the Goth Metal Drake had finally risen to its feet.

"Level with me, Megs. What will it be?" Minamimoto might be borderlining mental instability, but his skills were undoubtedly top-notch. Kitaniji tipped his shades back.

"Let's do it."

With this agreement came a rushing of understanding as a light engulfed the two Players in a manner reminiscent of a traditional pact ritual. However, as _Reaper_ Players, this particular light that surrounded them was far different than any previous partnership that the UG ever had seen. It brought with it a gust of power that illuminated the duo's figures, causing Minamimoto's hair to stand up, blowing his hat off and nearly causing Kitaniji's headphones to suffer the same fate. One of the other Players even shouted 'Whoa, Super Saiyans!' in awe at the spectacle, whatever that meant. There had never been a case of partner incompatibility in the entire history of the Reapers' Game, but Kitaniji seriously believed for a moment that some power even higher than the Angels was conspiring to keep Minamimoto and himself apart. As the winds died down though, the duo felt a sense of calm sweep over them as their souls aligned.

"What was that?" Kitaniji asked.

"An unknown…"Minamimoto began before getting pummeled by the Goth Metal Drake. The brunt of the attack was blocked by Minamimoto's arms, but the force knocked him off his feet and sent him flying into a building.

"Shit!" Kitaniji jumped over the attacking Noise, shooting at the underbelly before he had gained too much air. The roar of pain told him that he was successful, but as its tail caught him at the midsection, he reached the painful realization that it still had plenty of fight left as it tossed him towards a staggered looking Minamimoto who was just emerging from the rubble. The duo collided heads painfully.

"My apologies," Kitaniji rubbed his forehead and wiped away blood before it reached his eyes. Minamimoto fared worse it seemed and was comically on his head with his body contorted above him, dust breezing by his crumbled form. He seemed in possession of unlimited stamina, however, as he leapt to his feet in a rage.

"That tasteless tetrahedral! Let's add this bastard to the heap! CRUNCH!"

"I agree," Kitaniji replied, though he was not sure how to go about that. Players normally used Pins and a medium(s), but Kitaniji did not wake up in the scramble crossing with anything new in his pockets that had not been there the day before, other than the Player Pin of course. Was he meant to use his Reaper powers?

"Do you think we're restricted to using Pins like a normal Player?" He asked Minamimoto, the latter who had replaced his cap on his head.

"Let's find out!" Minamimoto exclaimed, rushing towards the drake. Kitaniji found his own question answered instantly as he observed the amazing speed his partner attacked with. With his bare hand, Minamimoto tore into the Goth Metal Drake's underbelly, spilling the beast's insides all over the ground. Content that he had retained his powers, Kitaniji released an energy projectile at the dying wyrm. The Noise exploded on contact, resulting in its particle-sized remains to rain over the cheering Players.

"All right!" Minamimoto high-fived Kitaniji. "Tack Day 1 behind a decimal point!"

"Now wait a second…I don't know about that," Kitaniji said thoughtfully. "The only objective was to 'survive for seven days' right?"

"What you gettin' at, Megs?" A loud scream caused the duo to whirl around. One of the Players that had been watching the fight stood motionless for a moment. As all eyes turned to this poor girl, her head dropped from her neck and blood spurted up.

"THE NOISE ARE STILL HERE!" Kitaniji roared. The Players broke into a frenzy and began thrashing against one another to escape. Minamimoto pulled a microphone out of his pocket and spoke into it.

"ATTENTION, ALL YOCTOGRAMS!" Minamimoto shouted into his mic. "FOLLOW MEGS AND ME TO A SAFE PLACE IF YOU WISH TO LIVE. IT MIGHT ZETTABYTE IF YOU DON'T!" Putting his microphone away, he turned to Kitaniji.

"Let's go, Megs. I've gotta fill you in before these zeroes try to FOIL us." Kitaniji was right on Minamimoto's tail as he took off, dodging the rapidly emerging Noise. Now that the real intention of the seven-day mission had been exposed, Kitaniji knew that beating the Game would be ten times more difficult than it was under normal circumstances. There was no time limit, no required logic. It was a Game of pure, instinctive survival. The only break they would have would be when the Players automatically fall asleep; the rest of the remaining six days would be spent with the Players devoted to not dropping their guard.

"Tell me, Minamimoto," Kitaniji panted, "how did you know I would be participating in the Game?"

"We share a mutual friend," Minamimoto replied, his trajectory zigzagging as they dodged the spawning Noise. Kitaniji noticed that several Players, primarily the ones who had been handed Reaper guns, were following them, with Cato among them.

"Where'd you find these guys?" Kitaniji asked.

"Recruitment!" Minamimoto's eyes lit up. "I'm going to crush the Composer, and since I'm a Player this time around, I might as well crush the entire establishment!" Kitaniji came to a stop, stunned for a moment. He had completely forgotten Minamimoto's previous ambitions, ambitions so extreme that Minamimoto was designated a renegade and a mission was dispatched for his assassination.

_Well, he's my partner now. _Kitaniji continued running, bitter thoughts spinning through his head. _Guess I've got to deal._

As the Players all rounded a corner and emerged near Dogenzaka, Minamimoto finally came to a halt. The Players behind him collapsed to the ground, panting. Minamimoto scanned them quickly before grinning.

"Congratulations, you fractals! You are officially a part of the Zetta Squad!" Most of the Players looked clueless, but Cato nodded his head in understanding. "I am Sho Minamimoto! This is my partner Megs! We were both Reapers until an infinitesimal force known as the Composer decided to cotango with us. Now we are stuck as Players. Join us, and we will survive together!"

Most of the Players present cheered, eager to bounce on this ray of hope that Minamimoto was offering. A few shook their heads and left. Minamimoto flipped them off as they left.

"Stupid irrationals. All right, how many Players are left besides Megs and myself? Nine? All right, huddle up, Zetta Squad. We've got some strategizing to do."

* * *

**Author's Note: In addition to the focus on Kitaniji and the side dramas involving Kariya, Yashiro, Mr. H, and the Composer, Sho ****Minamimoto has joined the fray as a primary character! I am by no means a math lover so his character will present a challenge, but I thought he would be the most interesting partner for Kitaniji, and his character can fulfill a lot of plans I have for the remainder of the story, so I hope you guys enjoy having him! I know he is a fan favorite, so as long as I don't butcher his character, the story will continue to grow!**

**Crow**


	8. Lights Out

**Chapter VIII: Lights Out**

**Day 2 – Part I**

"What the hell?" Yashiro dropped the reports the Reaper Officers had composed for her in shock, verbally swearing despite the lack of any present listeners. It had been surprising enough to learn that the rebel Sho Minamimoto was a Player in her Game, but for Megumi Kitaniji, the formerly erased Conductor, to be a Player as well was more than she could take. Yashiro massaged her forehead irritably before reaching into her desk and pouring herself a cup of scotch. Raising the glass to her lips, she began to tilt the cup back before a familiar hand caught her wrist.

"Whoa, girl! You're too young for that!" Yashiro closed her eyes and felt impatience seeping out of her before she turned around.

"What do you want, Kariya?" Her partner had a mischievous grin on his face that was uncharacteristic for his laid back persona.

"Just gotta keep you from doin' somethin' you'd regret," he said, gently placing the scotch on the table. Yashiro scowled.

"Just 'cause I'm stuck with a 17-year-old body doesn't mean I shouldn't be allowed to drink alcohol. Besides, Italians can drink when they're 16."

"This ain't Rome, Uzuki," Kariya messed up Yashiro's hair playfully. "I came by to give you something interesting." He handed her another report. She flicked through it quickly.

"What do I care if some nobodies are forming an alliance? That's not unheard of." Kariya grinned.

"Details." Looking down again, Yashiro began to fume as the name 'Zetta Squad' caught her eyes.

"Minamimoto," she growled. Kariya looked at her smugly.

"And guess who our favorite nutcase's partner is?"

"Mr. Kitaniji?" Kariya nodded to her questioning glance as she screamed and downed the scotch.

* * *

The Players all woke up simultaneously, once again, in the scramble crossing. It was significantly earlier than usual, judging by how dark it still was. Fortunately, the Zetta Squad had been able to cover Minamimoto's plan before unconsciousness seized them all. Introductions were the first order of business; Minamimoto ignored everyone's preferred name and assigned them a "codename" that pointed towards his ludicrous tendencies. Only Kitaniji escaped with a nickname that didn't reduce him to the level of mathematical terminology: "Megs." Radian and Degree were partners, as were Mean and Median, Mode and Range. Cato became Root and was partnered with Origin. Zero had no partner, and was named as such because Minamimoto laughingly pointed out, "He can try to double his chances, but 0 times 2 is still 0." Though they each hated their respective aliases, the Players could not help but engrave said nicknames in their minds. Despite their prejudice, Minamimoto had a solid plan that impressed even Kitaniji. The Reapers weren't going to know what hit them!

After getting up and regrouping, Minamimoto began barking orders left and right to put his plan into effect. Everyone had his/her own duties, but until they could identify what Noise they would be dealing with, it was pointless to prepare any specific countermeasures for the Reapers' Game. Despite the lack of light, there was an alert atmosphere about the city as Players looked around nervously, prepared to see the objects of their nightmares manifesting themselves once again. Minamimoto twitched.

"Something's not adding up," he muttered, eyes darting from one part of the scramble to another. "Where are the Noise?" Kitaniji looked at his phone. 6 a.m. Surely the Reapers did not wake them up this early for the purpose of giving the Players time to prepare a defense or counterattack. What was he missing?

"Couldn't we just do our own thang and put your plan into action?" Cato asked Minamimoto. The crazed mathematician rubbed his chin.

"I don't see why not. You all have your missions. Get steppin'!" Mean, Median, Mode, and Range all took off together while Radian and Degree headed out another way. This left Cato, Origin, and Zero stuck with the Reaper Players.

"Don't you think this whole situation is suspicious?" Kitaniji asked Minamimoto, the latter whom simply laughed.

"It's 0600 right now. We've got 64,800 seconds left to kill before Day 2 is up. If they want to help us kill off some time, I'm perfectly fine with that!"

"I agree," Origin said, showing off her perfectly white teeth as she smiled. She was only sixteen or seventeen years old, composed in a very petite body with long black hair that extended well below her buttocks. Her long fingers were adorned in a number of rings, none which contained priceless gems, but all which contained priceless memories. A green shamrock glittered as she brushed her hair back with a stroke.

"If we can complete "Operation Infinity," we'll have the Reapers' Game in the bag!" Cato added enthusiastically. He had uniquely bright cerulean hair, a pair of golden earrings in his left ear, and wore a pair of thin rimmed glasses that darkened in the sun. He was clearly a Tigre Punks fanatic; he wore a tartan coat, bondage pants, and a light green pair of custom sneaks. He looked to be the same age as Origin.

"…" No one had heard a word from Zero since he joined the Zetta Squad. He was undoubtedly the most enigmatic character of the gathered allies. Yellow tinted sunglasses rested on the bridge of his nose and his eyes were further shielded by the bill of the black cloth hat he covered his head with. He was dressed in a _gakuran, _the top of which had a high collar, but looked like no school boy Kitaniji had ever seen. He did not acknowledge Cato or Origin's optimism, but continued to shift his eyes across Shibuya.

"Relax, Zero," Origin put her hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "We've got your back." Zero did not so much as crack a smile and pulled out his cell phone, glancing around nervously. Kitaniji, feeling compelled, did the same. Still 6 a.m.

"The time hasn't changed by so much as one minute…" Kitaniji muttered nervously. The others pulled out their phones and appeared startled when they realized he was right.

"Could it be a glitch or malfunction of some kind?" Origin asked.

"All at once? Naw, the Reapers gotta give us information through our phones," Cato said confidently, though he still appeared worried.

"And doesn't it seem like an awful lot of people are out and about for six in the morning?" Kitaniji asked. The UG, being in a different realm, did not necessarily possess the same physical features as the RG, as evident by the numerous battles in the UG that could physically wipe out Shibuya were it not for the RG's continued safety. Kitaniji had never known a Game Master to alter the playing field, but this extremely unorthodox Game Master seemed a perfect fit for such a sadistic strategy.

"So you're saying that Game Master Pinky might have affected our perception of the UG?" Minamimoto asked frowning. "But why?"

"Predators," Origin replied simply, causing everyone to focus their attention on her.

"Whatcha mean?" Cato asked.

"The easiest way to catch prey is to hide the presence of the predator," she explained, "but these mindless Noise are bound to the will of the Reapers who control them. What if the Game Master is camouflaging them in the darkness? With the right Noise, we'd never see the attack coming until it's too late."

"Shit! That means we're sitting ducks!" Minamimoto growled and began throwing various items together with superhuman strength.

"Working on your arts and crafts isn't going to help right now," Kitaniji replied wryly.

"Well Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally!" Minamimoto threw his hands up into the air for a moment before he resumed his work. "You know my work is flawlessly calculated. When I'm done, we'll have both a barrier and a higher ground, whichever we choose to use it for."

"You're a genius!" Origin exclaimed, throwing her arms around Minamimoto's neck. Cato narrowed his eyes as their eccentric leader blushed slightly.

"Aww, zetta shucks!" He grinned, rubbing his nose for a moment before he resumed trashing the area in front of him.

"We can help," Cato said, but Minamimoto raised his hand defensively.

"Don't spoil my solution," he said stiffly. Kitaniji distinctly heard Cato mutter '_fuck you Captain Crunch'_ under his breath before he pulled Origin's hand and the duo began making their own trash pile. Kitaniji shook his head skeptically and resumed analyzing the situation carefully.

It was dark; that much was true, but it would provide little cover for the larger Noise attacking them. The darkness would be most effective for hiding the smaller Noise, so Kitaniji decided it was a logical assumption to assume the Noise could use the cover of the dark to their advantage. But that did not explain the lapse of time that had passed without any action. What was the advantage in giving the Players time to defend?

Or was it giving the Noise time to attack? Kitaniji felt sweat drip down his brow and he looked up at Minamimoto who was laughing triumphantly on top of his massive pile.

"Minamimoto! I know what the Noise is for today!" He yelled.

"Megs! Zero! Get up a pile!" Kitaniji heard Origin scream terrified. At this precise moment, all the phones in the city instantly began flashing; 10 a.m replacing the stuck 6 a.m. that had misled everyone. Wheeling around, the duo came face-to-face with numerous glowing pairs of eyes. A low rumbling began as the eyes got bigger. Kitaniji realized horrified that they were charging full speed at them. Acting on instinct, he jumped as high as he could and caught his hand on a piece of Minamimoto's pile. He was afraid for Zero, but was relieved to see that Zero had done the same on Origin and Cato's pile.

"You okay, Megs?" Minamimoto asked, extending his hand down to his partner who was in the process of climbing. Finding a foothold and jumping, Kitaniji caught Minamimoto's hand with his own and was pulled to the very top, surveying the bottom, nearly twenty feet below.

"Thanks," he breathed, wiping his face with his hand.

"What the digit are those?" Minamimoto asked, squinting his eyes below them. "Ah!" He hissed. "Pigs."

* * *

**Author's Note: This author's note is a shout-out to anyone who has ever read this series. Every review, every follower, every favorite, and even every view my stories earn touches me to the core. If you have criticisms, I'd like to hear them as well. I will never change my opinion; there is no better feeling than acknowledgement, and all it takes is one review to completely make my day. The updates might get a little slower as semester starts back up, but I will still do my best to have one chapter out every week or so. **

**Crow**


	9. Ace in the Hole

**Chapter IX: Ace in the Hole**

**Day 2 – Part II**

"AWW!" The male Players of the Zetta Squad all felt the urge to drop their jaws in disbelief as Origin admired the fat Noise stampeding below them. Sure, in comparison to the snarling wyrms and bloodthirsty bears they had to deal with yesterday, these pigs were relatively small and cute. The real problem, however, was that they usually only sat around in battle, existing for the sole purpose of pushing the Players' offensive capabilities to the limits before running away with a speed like no other. With all areas of the scramble once again blocked off to the Players, the pigs could stampede together as a herd until they reached the opposite side of the scramble, resulting in an unhindered attack with an unparalleled destructive force. The Game Master had altered the time on their phones so that only a few cautious Players would notice the unusual amount of activity present in the RG for so early in the morning, while the rest would optimistically believe they had a slight reprieve before the Reapers' Game continued. The darkness was added to shield the pigs waiting behind the barriers from sight, and to aid in their unprejudiced assault. Minamimoto winced as screams echoed throughout the city and other Players got pummeled.

"Grab a calculator and input those casualties," he lamented, bloody hoof prints marking the ground far below them. Kitaniji was about to respond when a loud **crash** caused him to look back down in alarm. Several pigs had knocked into the piles, shaking them slightly and causing the pigs to collapse on all fours in a daze.

"KILL THOSE PORKERS!" Cato yelled from the opposing pile. Zero pulled out his Reaper gun and began firing at the collapsed targets. Origin looked scandalized.

"No! Just look how cute they are!" She pouted.

"Get ahold of yourself, woman!" Cato shook her slightly. She looked heartbroken, but pulled out her gun in compliance, firing wildly at the stunned pigs below them. Minamimoto grinned.

"Well, Megs. Shall we?"

"After you." Minamimoto bowed his head in mocking gratitude before he leapt straight from the heap and into the fray. The wave of pigs was near its end, but Minamimoto landed directly on top of one still on the go.

"I meant kill the ones that are stunned!" Cato called after him, wide-eyed and alarmed.

"Invalid! Any idiot can make a meal of packaged pork chops, but I can eat 5.9736 × 10^24 kg of them for breakfast!" Minamimoto shouted back as the pigs rode away with him. Cato scratched his head baffled.

"It's the mass of Earth," Kitaniji apologetically informed Cato before jumping after his partner. His aim true, he landed on the back of the final pig as they rumbled away. Looking ahead, he saw his partner crushing the skull of his ride before teleporting to another and repeating the process. His hand soaked in blood, he looked up.

"Megs! I didn't expect you to actually follow me!" Minamimoto exclaimed, genuine surprise in his voice.

"Of course!" Kitaniji replied, watching the pigs' progress. Hearing screams far ahead, he sharply shouted, "Minamimoto! Steer them away from the Players!"

"Roger that!" Minamimoto shouted back, decapitating the Pig Jig he rode before disappearing to head of the pigs. He realized with a start that the group of Players in front of the pigs was in direct proximity.

"What the…?" A teary-eyed youth looked up at Minamimoto on the angry pig's back.

"Don't move, you stupid hectopascals!" He roared. "Stay right where you are if you don't want to die!" They froze up as if his words were magic and he nodded approvingly. Killing the pig he was on, he teleported to the closest pig on a crash collision course with the Players and repeated the process. Before long, a wall of corpses protected the Players from the infuriated swine. The pigs went around the Players, Minamimoto leading the pack. Hearing squeals behind him, he looked back in surprise.

Kitaniji, though not near as quick as Minamimoto, was still capable of reproducing the same strategy that Minamimoto had been using. Jumping from sow to boar to sow and butchering his respective porker with an energy projectile, Kitaniji made his way to the front, right beside Minamimoto.

"Nice little joyride, wouldn't you say?" Minamimoto hollered at him, amusement in his tone.

"Did you protect all of the Players?" Kitaniji asked, trying to steer his beast, but to little avail.

"C + Y do you care?" Minamimoto asked, slaying his Noise before teleporting to another leader. "I figured you were ultimately interested in the ends, not the means." Kitaniji wondered the same thing. The protection of Shibuya and the salvation of the Composer were his primary concerns, so why was he going out of his way to protect the ignoramuses around him? The Composer said that Kitaniji would never regain his entry fee, the love he had for the citizens of Shibuya. Was he developing genuine protective instincts all his own despite the lack of love for the objects of his concern?

"I can't honestly answer that right now," Kitaniji responded carefully, "but I feel the need to. Perhaps it is the result of something greater than myself that motivates me to help those suffering in front of me."

"Not me!" Minamimoto laughed loudly. "These decimals are just numbers needed to solve the ultimate algebraic problem."

"And what would that be?"

"How to bring the numerator to the denominator," Minamimoto replied. His face twitched slightly as he said this.

"Overthrowing the Composer is still your ultimate objective, huh?" Kitaniji asked. Minamimoto nodded.

"Teamwork is low on my statistical graph, but if I have everything else and still can't add the Composer to the heap, this shows that my low-grade ability to use people is the missing factor! With this, I can flip the vertical line and be on top!"

"And what if it's not what you are missing, but rather, what the Composer was missing?" Kitaniji asked.

"Go longhand with your explanation," Minamimoto replied confused.

"The Composer can only speak with the Conductor and the Producer, so when He lives in solitude, His almighty power and tactics are unstoppable. But if the Composer has friends, then He is willing to compromise His position for a chance to live a normal human life like everyone else."

"Where does this logic come from?" Minamimoto asked unconvinced. Before Kitaniji could answer, Minamimoto swore loudly.

"The wall is coming up! If we let these fatasses through, we'll have to deal with them when they come back out again," he exclaimed.

"Not gonna happen," Kitaniji said confidently. "Begin your killing spree. Rest assured, they will not escape the scramble." His partner did not understand what Kitaniji's strategy was, but resumed killing the Noise nonetheless. Kitaniji did the same, and before too long, corpses lay scattered on their tail. The wall was approaching, however, a red-coated Support Reaper perched safely on top of the Statue of Hachiko, grinning at the returning pigs in delight, apparently believing that they had been unstoppable. As they grew closer however, he gasped as he realized that two Players riding the hoard.

"What the…you two shouldn't be there!" He exclaimed.

"No shift, Sherlock," Minamimoto cackled. "That's what we wanted you to conclude!" The Reaper's stupification made Minamimoto's insult worthwhile, but the wall remained a problem that Minamimoto was not sure how to solve.

"Whatever your plan is, it's now or never, Megs!" He yelled. Kitaniji pushed his glasses against his face.

"Time be still." Minamimoto could not even gasp in surprise as he felt a wave of energy explode from his partner, affecting everything in the immediate vicinity. He was frozen as were the pigs, but Kitaniji was not. Utilizing his energy further, a red coil extended from his arms, like a snake, and he slingshot himself off the pig to the front of the wall. Raising his finger, he traced a line in front of him, targeting each and every remaining pig Noise. Yelling wilder than he ever had before, Kitaniji released all of his energy into a laser-like blast. As it left his hands, time resumed. For Minamimoto, who was no more permitted to act under Kitaniji's power than the pigs, all he saw was Kitaniji moving in a flash and annihilating every last Noise in sight. The mathematician fell to the ground with his dead pig, a mixture of fear and respect sweeping over him, but even more so, pure awe.

"I knew you had to be powerful as the former Conductor, but I had no idea you had **that** kind of power…why didn't you just do that earlier?"

"Too many enemies," Kitaniji gasped, sweat caressing his face. "This power is my ace in the hole…but it is also a double-edged sword if I am not careful."

"Gotcha," Minamimoto kicked a dead Noise on the ground as it slowly vanished. Peering through the wall, he exclaimed, "Yo! We took care of the garbage. Open the rest of Shibuya up!"

"Wall…clear." The Support Reaper meekly said, dispelling the walls with the snap of a finger. Passing through, Kitaniji looked at Minamimoto.

"Think the others will be all right on their own?"

"Oh, sure," Minamimoto replied, "but in the meantime, we still have work to do. You have your ace in the hole and I have mine, but we need to cover most of Shibuya before we can use it."

"So we're still going to…"

"Yeah," Minamimoto grinned. "It's Taboo time."

* * *

**Author's Note: Oh man, I was so stoked writing this chapter! Expect to learn more about the Zetta Squad in the upcoming chapters and the role that they will have in shaping Shades and the Grim Heaper. **

**Crow**


	10. Setting the Stage

**Chapter X: Setting the Stage**

**Day 2 – Part III**

"What do ya think happened to Megs 'n Crunchy?" Cato asked Origin and Zero concerned. Zero shrugged as Origin played with her bangs for a moment before answering him.

"Megs seems like a pretty reliable guy," Origin replied confidently, though she could not get the image of a hundred stampeding pigs out of her head. "And we both know that all the Noise in Shibuya probably won't be enough to faze the leader of the Zetta Squad. I think we should stick to the plan. We've gotta cover as much ground as we can as quickly as we can."

"Let's just hope we don't run into the misfits or the idiot bros," Cato muttered. Origin nudged him hard in the ribs with her elbow, causing him to swear profusely.

"Don't be a dick. We're all in this together and regardless what you think about everyone, we all have a role. If we stick to the plan, all of the UG will be under our control."

"Taboo Noise?" Cato asked. She grinned.

"Taboo Noise." With that affirmation, the trio was off.

* * *

Operation Infinity was now entirely underway for the members of the Zetta Squad. Kitaniji and Minamimoto were both confident that the pigs were the only Noise the Game Master had planned for the second day; Minamimoto estimated that there was only a 15% chance that she had prepared a backup plan once all the pigs were wiped out. With this in mind, the duo scoured Shibuya, searching for places to hide a Taboo Noise refinery sigil. They wanted to corner the large areas especially, but the goal was to coat Shibuya in the sigils. They were near the West Exit Bus Terminal, so naturally they were going to focus on this particular area of Shibuya. Assuming Cato, Origin, and Zero did not do anything stupid after they took on the pigs, they should be near Miyashita Park. This left the Dogenzaka area to Mean, Median, Mode and Range, while Udagawa would be left to the discretion of Degree and Radian.

"Well, where do you want to go, babe?" Range asked Mode, spinning a basketball on his finger as he walked with the three girls he was scouring Shibuya with. He looked to be the oldest of the Zetta Squad, having started his first year of college before he died. His corn rolls and ebony skin made him stand out in Shibuya, but his basketball skills had been widely recognized as top-tier in Japan.

Mode scowled at his question. "For the last fuckin' time, I'm not your girlfriend. Stop actin' as though I am." In stark contrast to her partner, she had snow-white skin, the lightest of any of the Zetta Squad. Her black hair had red and blonde highlights, her eyes were heavily adorned with eyeliner and mascara, and her lips were as red as was the only one of the group wearing brand name clothes: Lapin Angelique. She wore a spiderweb jersey, a red miniskirt, and a pair of black boots. The snake bites in her mouth reflected the sun as her mouth curved into a sneer. "You're just a nobody that I happened to make a pact with."

"Don't say that…you know that's not true…" Range begged as the ball fell off of his finger and bounced gently on the ground.

"Oh, shut up already!" Mean whined as Range quickly recovered his ball. No one turned to look at her; she was an absolute eyesore. Younger than Median, Mode and Range, she had been largely ignored almost from the get-go because of her ugly appearance that perfectly reflected her ugly demeanor. Her chins jiggled as she spoke, her puffy lips sticking out. Her bloated frame was contained in a red dress, far too extravagant for her. Her long, blonde hair looked matted with grease, acne covering her face. Her bulging forearms flexed menacingly as she glared at the arguing Players, one of her eyes green and the other blue.

"G…g…guys. Please, stop f...f...fighting," Median stuttered. This girl did not come off as timid as her inability to speak effectively would suggest that she was. Her thick, dark hair was a curly mess, stopping just short of her shoulders. Black skull earrings dangled from her ears and a set of silver bracelets adorned her wrists. She wore a purple vest over a black and white striped short sleeve shirt. Her black leather pants enhanced attractiveness of her shapely legs, and her strapped boots were caked in dirt. She had a rough, but tranquil presence that her speech impediment clashed with.

"Sorry, sorry," Range apologized, though Mode turned away with a surely look on her face. Median breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's f…f…fine. W…w…where should we g…g…go?"

"Stop talking! You're such a pest!" Mean shrieked at Median, despite being younger than her. Anger blazed across Median's face, but she said nothing. Mode, on the other hand, rounded on her.

"Yo, bitch! This is your partner. I don't care if we're in the Zetta Squad together; I'll kick your ass if you don't shut the fuck up!" Mean's lip curled, but she did not say anything. Range put his hand on Mode's shoulder.

"Please, babe, we need to work together." Mode slapped his hand away and briskly began walking.

"We've already got our instructions. We gotta set up a Taboo Noise refinery sigil in the northern parts of Shibuya, while we leave the east to Degree and Radian, and the west to the Reaper Players, Root, Origin, and Zero. We'll just set them up in different suitable places as we go north."

"Let's do it!" Range exclaimed.

"Sounds g…g…good," Median piped in. With that, the four of them set off. Minamimoto's plan was nearing completion as the day wore on, though a sense of urgency was sweeping over the Zetta Squad, despite the lack of communication between everyone in their respective locations.

* * *

"C'mon, brother! Hurry up!" Came the excitable chatter of 11-year-old Degree, a youth far too energetic to remain in one area for more than a moment. Wearing a red tank top and blue jeans, his green sandals tapped against the ground in impatience. The very top of his blond fohawk only came up to his brother's elbow. Radian laughed behind him.

"Calm down, Hayato," he smoothly replied, his dice earrings dangling as he stepped carefully. Degree and he resembled one another with their similar facial expressions, though they had very different fashion sense and body structures. He was extremely tall and stocky for his age, many scars engraved in his skin as a result of his deadly lifestyle. He wore protective under armor beneath his black vest, black carpenter pants with bulging pockets, and tennis shoes. A black bandana covered his thick, blonde hair, giving him a Beat-ish appearance, though he had a natural charisma that Kitaniji knew Beat very clearly lacked. A rabbit foot necklace rested around his neck, the lucky number 7 tattooed on his arm. "I want to go quickly too, but we've got to be careful about this."

Degree shook irritably. The day had all but ended with no excitement. There had been an exceptionally large stampede of pigs earlier, but Radian, an expert stuntman and the most reckless, admirable man Degree had ever known, had quickly found a bike, took Degree on his shoulders and rode straight towards the onslaught. Finding a slanted wedge just in time, he went airborne and jumped over the entire cluster of Noise. For Radian, they were just another obstacle, but Degree, a more sheltered youth, had never experienced such an adrenaline rush.

"We're almost done planting our traps! We've gotta get one more in before the day ends!" Degree protested, but Radian silenced him with a raised hand. Though Radian was arguably the most reckless individual in all of Shibuya, he took calculated risks based on the likelihood of success. Degree, his younger brother, was extremely logically minded and was able to deduce the success rate of anything the duo was bound to do. Odds of jumping the entire army of pigs and landing successfully had been 65%.

"If everyone has done their part, we have enough Taboo Noise to keep the Reapers busy for several days. We must do it properly though. What are the odds of success if we get hasty?"

"…5%."

"Exactly. Get your butt in gear, Hayato. No screw-ups. Ah! Here we are…" The duo had reached the famous CAT mural of Udagawa. "Let's go, quickly and carefully." Together, the duo knelt and began conjuring kanji in the shadow of the mural. Minamimoto had given every member of his group a Pin that he called "Omega." This was the secret to summoning Taboo Noise. Only Reapers were able to successfully summon Taboo Noise, but Players were still able to use the Pin to draw the ritualistic sigil. Completing the circle of kanji, the brothers carefully pressed the Pin to the ground and began to draw Noise symbols around the kanji, looking off a drawing Minamimoto had given them. It was a laborious process and the sun was quickly descending, but neither Radian nor Degree would jeopardize their mission to sate their own impatience. Achieving a satisfactory sigil at long last, the duo high fived one another before blacking out.

* * *

"Got you a new report, Uzuki," Kariya drawled much to Yashiro's irritation.

"What is it now?" She asked.

"Apparently," Kariya slowly annunciated, "half of today's Players were erased, primarily by the pigs, though several escaped unscathed, thanks to Minamimoto and Mr. Kitaniji."

"The Zetta Squad is SO annoying," Yashiro complained loudly. Kariya grinned.

"Settle down, Uzuki. That wasn't a summary of the report I prepared for you. I did a little digging and I've identified most of the Zetta Squad for you." A hungry look appeared on Yashiro's face as she reached for this new intel.

"Natsumi the Prep, also known as Mean, is a 15-year-old female. Partner: Suzu. Entry fee: her beauty. Known strengths: none. Suzu the Peacemaker, also known as Median, is a 17-year-old female," Yashiro read out loud carefully before looking up. "Mean and Median? Minamimoto really isn't all that creative with his nicknames." Kariya just grinned and shrugged before she resumed reading. "Partner: Natsumi. Entry fee: her amazing voice. Known strengths: none."

"A rather mismatched pair," Kariya commented, which Yashiro acknowledged with a flick of her head before continuing.

"Keiko the Gothic, also known as Mode, is a 17-year-old female. Partner: Takumi. Entry fee: her unborn child. Known strengths: projectile efficiency. Takumi the Baller, also known as Range, is a 19-year-old male. Partner: Keiko. Entry fee: his soul mate's love. Known strengths: telekinesis efficiency."

"Heartbreaking, ain't it?" Yashiro nodded, feeling Kariya's eyes carefully observing her face. A lot of fucked up stuff happened where the Reapers' Game was concerned, but this was still one of the more tragic stories to reach her ears.

"Isamu the Daredevil, also known as Radian, is a 16-year-old male. Partner: Hayato. Entry fee: his fame. Known strengths: incredible luck. Hayato, the Gambler, also known as Degree, is an 11-year-old male. Partner: Isamu. Entry fee: a priceless family heirloom. Known strengths: incredible luck, accurate calculations."

"They're quite an interesting pair of brothers," Kariya laughed.

_Like another pair of siblings I know._ Yashiro thought of Beat and Rhyme before she turned back to the report.

"Yuzuki the Compassionate, also known as Origin, is a 17-year-old female. Partner: Cato. Entry fee: her ambitions. Known strengths: none. Cato the Punk, also known as Root, is a 17-year-old male. Partner: Yuzuki. Entry fee: his mother. Known strengths: physical efficiency. "

"And with that, you have all the Zetta Squad Players, excluding Mr. Kitaniji and Minamimoto, of course," Kariya twirled his lollipop between his fingers. Yashiro frowned.

"There's one more name. Kariya…what the hell is this?" Kariya hunched over her shoulder to peek at the spot in his report that she was pointing. The word "Zero" followed by many question marks was the object of her intrigue.

"Ah! My bad. There is apparently one more member of the Zetta Squad known as Zero. Thing is, we have no information on him."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Yashiro grabbed Kariya by the ear and pulled him down to the desk. "Dammit, Kariya! How were you not able to find any information on this one little Player?"

"Stop always gettin' pissy with me!" Kariya swatted her hand off his head and straightened himself out, wincing as he rubbed his ear. "I did the math and lookin' at the erased Players and the Players still in the Game, we have one more Player playing now than there was when we started."

Yashiro's eyebrow twitched as she picked up her phone with a hand that was surprisingly steady. Her face lit up as the opposite line answered.

"Yo! You've reached Hanekoma at WildKat where our motto is, 'If it's a bean, it can also be made into a coffee.'"

"You should get a new motto," Yashiro irritably replied. "This is Uzuki Yashiro. We've got a problem."

"Oh, yeah? What's up, missy?"

"We have an illegal Player it would seem," Yashiro said, "and I would like your feedback, as both the Producer and as the Conductor, on how to proceed with this matter." There was a long pause.

"An illegal Player…the procedure would depend on who said Player is."

"We don't know who he is," Yashiro said, her temple throbbing as her mind threatened to collapse in frustration. "He goes by the alias 'Zero,' but he did not come to the UG with the other Players."

"Who's his partner?" Mr. H asked.

"No one. He has maintained a very low profile and does not appear to have interacted with anyone in the time that he has been here."

"Well, this sounds like a pickle. Tell ya what, leave him in the Game. Find out who he is, and we shall take an appropriate entry fee and determine our course of action from there," Mr. H said.

"Yes, sir," Yashiro replied, hanging up with the push of a button. It was always something…first Kariya doubting her competence as Mr. H's candidate for Game Master, then the two Reaper Players in this already bloated Game, and now this mysterious illegal Player. Grinding her teeth, Yashiro turned to Kariya who was leaning against a beam.

"'Sup?" He asked nonchalantly, which further spurned her anger.

"I've had enough of this shit. It's time. Issue an Emergency Call." Kariya's jaw dropped in disbelief, causing his lollipop to slip out of his mouth as she took his report and tore it in half. "No one is escaping the UG," she said determinedly as Kariya's lollipop hit the ground.

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay; this chapter gave me a lot of trouble. With its slow pace, it is basically the polar opposite of my previous one, as it was more or less an introduction to the rest of the Zetta Squad. I apologize sincerely if you hated the lack of action in this chapter, but with this out of the way, I am now free to explore the story with maximum efficiency. Look forward to the beginning of Day 3! **

**Crow**


	11. Infinity

**Chapter XI: Infinity**

**Day 3 – Part I**

"ZETTA SQUAD, REGROUP!" It wasn't the best wake-up call Kitaniji had ever heard, but it sure as hell beat an alarm clock. Minamimoto was screaming into his microphone with his usual vicious vigor. One by one, the various Players that made up the largest Player alliance of the UG popped up, rubbing the sleep from their eyes and yawning excessively. All of the Players had survived the second day, much to Minamimoto's delight, and because the groups had separated further when Kitaniji and Minamimoto attacked the pigs, Shibuya was now covered in more Taboo Noise refinery sigils than Minamimoto could have hoped for. The only concern was if they were properly constructed and if Minamimoto's plan could actually succeed.

"Are we a whole integer once more?" Minamimoto asked, mentally ticking off the Zetta Squad's members to ensure that he had not forgotten anyone. Kitaniji was ahead of him and nodded.

"Yes. Everyone is here now." Cato stepped forward eagerly.

"Are we going to release the Taboo Noise now?" He asked. Minamimoto scowled at his question.

"Why the hexagon would we do that?" The Players looked confused.

"Weren't we going to sic the Noise on the UG?" Range asked, dribbling his basketball between his legs impatiently.

"We need to create a distraction so we can hide!" Mean exclaimed, looking around nervously.

"Oh, so you are a first generation Pentium. That explains your crappy logic," Minamimoto drawled, which quickly shut Mean up. "Patience, my dear factoids. You can't draw a square without four points. We only have three."

"What w…w…would those b...b…be?" Median asked. Minamimoto's face lit up.

"I'm glad you asked! We've got the Taboo Noise refinery sigils set up, we've got a Player who just happens to be an undead Taboo Reaper, and we've got all of the UG as a potential enemy to use our assets on. On the flip side, we need time to activate our trap!"

"So we need to fight off any Noise ourselves until the sigils work?" Cato asked. Minamimoto nodded.

"Exact-o! But here is where you digits keep miscalculating. We aren't summoning Taboo Noise so that we can run away and hide for the rest of the week."

"We ain't?" Mode asked.

"No." This time it was Kitaniji who answered, his eyes gleaming behind his shades. "We're going to fight."

"Shit's gonna get topsy-turvy," Mode bared her teeth. "Count me in."

"Isamu, are things about to get exciting?" Degree eagerly asked, sitting on his elder brother's broad shoulders. Radian grinned.

"You better believe it," he said. Mean purred and seductively held his arm.

"You gonna protect me?" She asked. Degree almost fell off of his brother's shoulders as Radian jumped back with a start.

"So it's settled!" Minamimoto exclaimed, ignoring Radian's plight. "I won't be able to do anything for at least twenty-five minutes. You hectopascals had better protect me if you want this to work!"

"We've got your back," Range confidently said. The group formed a wide circle around Minamimoto who extended his arms in anticipation of starting his ritualistic transformation.

"Not so fast!" The group turned around surprised to see a duo of Reapers standing behind them. Though Harrier and Support Reapers donned similar apparel that rendered them almost indistinguishable, these particular Reapers were slightly different. The Harrier had his bandana pulled down to his neck, revealing a scar on his chin. Their collars were both low cut, a winged microphone tattooed on their chest with three numbers in the middle of the mic. 777.

A loud scream penetrated Median's mouth and even the Reapers stared at her in surprise. "Oh my g…g…gosh! It's D…D…Def Märch! T…T…Tenho and BJ!" She gushed, completely out of breath. She pulled the front of her striped shirt low and everyone could see that directly above her cleavage was the exact same tattoo. Tenho's mouth dropped open in surprise and BJ's eyes grew wide, as if he could not believe that he was seeing things properly. Clearly they had never met such a devoted fan, or perhaps they were simply overly interested in Median's sizable bosom. As they regained their sense of duty, however, Tenho firmly set his jaw straight and BJ's rude stare transformed into a haughty glare.

"Sorry, but we're gonna have to erase you guys," BJ said. "Higher-ups' orders."

"Even if you are a fan," Tenho regretfully muttered. Kitaniji cocked his head at the duo.

"What are you talking about? Reapers cannot attack Players without proper authorization. What reason could the higher-ups have for issuing an Emergency Call?"

"We discovered that there is an illegal Player in this Game," Tenho said, "and that was enough to warrant an Emergency Call."

"What's an Emergency Call?" Degree asked. Kitaniji grimaced.

"It means that all of the Reapers are our enemies now."

"That's right!" Tenho snapped his fingers. Walls flew up around the scramble crossing, restricting all of the Players inside.

"We've really gotta put in a request to start out somewhere new," Mode muttered resentfully.

"You've heard the expression! Don't hate the Game; hate the Players!" BJ pulled out a gun and opened fire on them. "And we know that some bastard Player erased 777, so I don't have a problem with that policy!"

"Get down!" Radian yelled, and the Players all scrambled, save Kitaniji and Zero, both whom were able to deflect each and every shot with shots of their own. The Reapers' eyes widened.

"What in the hell? How do you two have Reaper guns?" Tenho exclaimed. Zero did not answer, preferring instead to open fire at Tenho's chest.

"Damn, Noise!" Tenho yelled, and in an instant, a handful of Noise was emerging, a few brassbanfrogs taking the brunt of Zero's attack. "Sic 'em!" Tenho commanded, and the Noise descended on Kitaniji and Zero with snarling fury. Kitaniji stepped into the attack, pulling his arm back for a moment and releasing the deadly snake energy from his arm as he threw his arm forth. It was truly an extension of him as he snapped and erased all of the Noise. BJ was flying overhead, aiming shot after shot at Kitaniji, only to find that Zero was defending the former Conductor with deflection shots of his own, and still managing to score a few hits on the aggressive Reaper.

"Damn," BJ flew back beside Tenho who simply looked stupefied. "Just the two of them are trouble enough…what is the status on the rest of the scramble?" Tenho picked up his phone, which Zero destroyed from his hand with a well-placed shot.

"You bastard!" Tenho yelled, anger and fear sweeping over him as a result of Zero's unprovoked shot. Zero merely wagged his finger at them.

"Cocky son of a bitch," BJ gritted his teeth. "We have no choice. Take down the walls. These guys are the main threat, and we're gonna need backup if we want to take care of them." Tenho nodded in agreement and dispelled the barriers that were obstructing all progress.

"You've only got a little while left to live," BJ warned Zero and Kitaniji. "You had better use that time wisely."

"So zetta slow!" The two Players and Reapers spun around in surprise. Minamimoto had nearly completed his ritual, and as he stood before them with uncontainable malice on his face, he turned to his comrades. "Excellent work, Megs, Zero." He nodded his head to each of them in acknowledgement. "Thanks to you, these two were distracted long enough for the plan to be completed."

"What do you mean?" BJ asked, his voice unnaturally high as a premonition of terror swept over him.

"Well, you see…" Cato stepped out from behind Minamimoto.

"While Megs and Zero were distracting you…" Origin emerged.

"We used the time to make some more Taboo Noise refinery sigils!" Radian and Degree both exclaimed. Tenho and BJ surveyed the area behind Minamimoto and realized with a start that it was completely full of symbols and kanji. Nearly half of the city looked like a botched up graffiti work, though no one in the RG could possibly see this.

"Taboo Noise? What are you talking about?" Tenho asked horrified. "You're Players! You guys can't summon Noise, let alone Taboo Noise!"

"Captain Crunch ain't a normal Player," Mode emerged, and Range bounded beside her.

"He can activate all of the refinery sigils at once!"

"And th…th…thanks to him being a T…T…Taboo product," Median began.

"You're finished," Mean triumphantly exclaimed.

"Don't be stupid! Taboo Noise will attack both Players and Reapers!"

"Will they?" Kitaniji asked. "Minamimoto used Taboo Noise before when he was the one summoning them. They obeyed his orders and did not attack him."

"And by giving me complete control over all of the Taboo Noise, all of the power of the UG is under my control," Minamimoto laughed wickedly. "Game over." As he uttered these words, the ritual was finished and Minamimoto felt his godlike Taboo power fully restored, the black Taboo art spreading over his body. Even his allies felt as though they were witnessing total corruption, and Minamimoto howled with laughter as his power began to leak out of him, stirring wild winds around them. He threw his hands into the air and began chanting.

"3.1415926535897932384626433832 7950288419716939937510582097 4944592307816406286208998628 0348253421170679821480865132 82306647093844609…"

"Make them stop!" BJ wailed, covering his ears. It felt as though everyone within earshot was literally having their brains penetrated by these numbers, and the Zetta Squad began to feel a little apprehensive as the wind finally settled down and Minamimoto recited his last few numbers. Falling to his knees for a moment, Minamimoto slowly rose, his body contorting like a marionette as his head came up last. Finally standing erect, he turned his back on the Reapers and shifted his gazed over the Zetta Squad with a victorious grin.

"Operation Infinity: Success!"

**Author's Note: Updated on schedule today! Additionally, Chapter 2 of Live in the Moment is now up. Please show your support if you read something that was worth your time. Not just for me, but for any work you read. **

**Crow**


	12. Masters of the Underground

**Chapter XII: Masters of the Underground**

**Day 3 – Part II**

Def Märch stood back with an incredulous expression on their faces as the reborn Minamimoto stood before them, his back to the enemy in an unwarranted depiction of sheer arrogance. Taboo markings were creeping up his neck, presumably consuming his back beneath his coat. As he turned back to face the Reapers, Minamimoto's face was alive and hungry.

"So what if you got a bit of power?" BJ said, trying to bring confidence back to Tenho and himself. "You're still at the Reapers' mercy!"

"You don't understand," Minamimoto grinned with his eyes closed. "With the commutative property, you add to your power. We just multiplied ours!"

"Enough of this!" Tenho pulled out a megaphone.

"Geez, does everyone in this crazy place have a voice amplifier?" Cato muttered out loud.

"Hey! That's my old one! I traded it for a mic with wings!" Minamimoto exclaimed, his eyes flashing with nostalgia.

"You stole our mic, you dick!" BJ exclaimed. Minamimoto shrugged.

"Tomato, tomato."

"ENOUGH!" Tenho shouted into his megaphone, causing the Players and even BJ to wince. "REAPERS! OUR TARGET IS OVER HERE!" No sooner had the words escaped his mouth than winged spectators began to appear above the Players. Red and black hoodies began to dominate the scenes, and within a few seconds, at least a dozen Reapers had surrounded the Players.

"That seemed unnecessary," Radian said, a comment haughtily ignored by the growing group of Reapers.

"Remember Mr. Kitaniji?" Tenho looked around at his angry comrades. "He's the former Conductor that completely took over both the UG and RG through possession during the last Game!"

"What am I, a third quadrant reciprocal?" Minamimoto asked in annoyance.

"You're just a bastard ex-Reaper," BJ sneered. Minamimoto's lip curled.

"Am I? Well, you're relatively prime!" He shot back. The Reapers scratched their heads in confusion.

"Minamimoto, maybe you should go a little easier on them," Kitaniji said, fully aware that he was probably the only person that could keep up with Minamimoto's eccentric jokes.

"You're right, Megs. Enough talk; it's time for action!" Minamimoto raised his arms and slammed his hands into the ground. A loud screech permeated the air, and though most of the Reapers and Players were closing their eyes in an attempt to reject the painful sound, Kitaniji saw the hell that was about to be unleashed. Some of the Taboo power that had spread throughout Minamimoto's body was now spreading across Shibuya, first tagging the Taboo Noise refinery sigils that had been made just a few moments ago, and proceeding to the rest of the city where the Zetta Squad had spent the previous day marking. As the ground was tainted black, the screech transformed into the sound of a thousand angry roars, and the Reapers opened their eyes alarmed.

"Erase them!" A Harrier screamed. "Erase them before they get the chance to do anything more!" The Reapers all whipped out their guns as Noise materialized itself in front of the Players. Kitaniji recognized alterna wolves, mosh grizzlies, and dub rhinos converging around them, but Minamimoto looked supremely unconcerned at these new developments.

"How cute," he grinned at a wolf that snipped at his heels, a rhino in his peripheral stomping the ground and snorting dangerously.

"That's enough from you! Attack!" The Reapers began firing wildly as the Noise descended on the Players. Minamimoto howled with laughter.

"Eat this, you binomials!" As a wolf was about to clamp its jaws on Minamimoto's leg, a larger black wolf burst up from the ground and landed on top of the brute, wrestling it to the ground. The rhino that had been attacking found its progress blocked by a far more muscular black and silver rhino, its red eyes shining as it impaled the weaker Noise. The mosh grizzlies were easily being torn apart by their dark counterparts, and before the Reapers could even blink in disbelief, their entire Noise army had been decimated by the arrival of Minamimoto's Taboo Noise.

"Damn it! Shoot 'em!"

The Reapers began firing shot after shot at the Players, but Minamimoto shielded everyone with the Taboo Noise, while guiding their movement towards the Reapers. The Reapers looked stupefied for a moment before they began to back up. Cato jumped forth, side-by-side with Minamimoto.

"We're pushing back! Let's go, guys!" The Zetta Squad cheered and charged. Ever the strategist, Kitaniji held back and observed his fellow Players. It was definitely an interesting group, even by the Game's standards. Radian led the fray, riding a waveboard easily and smashing into a flying Reaper with the sharp wheel. Degree was perched on top of his shoulders as usual, flicking dice at fleeing Reapers. They were attracted to the Reapers like magnets and managed to clip more than a few shoulders as Degree fired. Mode and Range had become surprisingly adept in using their pins as well; Mode was shooting projectiles with her hands with the power to pierce though flesh and bone alike, but no Reaper suffered a severe blow thanks to her low accuracy and their quick reaction timing. Range, on the other hand, had superb accuracy, and though his weapon of choice, his basketball, was less fatal, his shots connected every single time. Reapers' necks snapped back as he scored headshot after headshot. The furious Reapers returned this long-distance barrage with their own, but in the wild frenzy, the Reapers did not even notice that not a single shot touched a Player thanks to Zero who had a surprisingly knack for defensive fire.

"What are you guys doing?" BJ screamed as their ranks were decimated. "Use everything you have!" Most of the Reapers were injured at this point, but new Reapers had joined the fray, allowing the injured to be dragged away as they took up arms. Joining together in groups of three, two Harriers with one Support, all of the Players found several walls between them.

"Root! Zero!" Origin cried out as she saw her friends stuck together in another dimension from her own. Cato stared at her wistfully, but Zero was carefully eyeing the Reapers disdainfully.

"What are you lookin' at?" One snarled at him. With the snap of a finger, the enclosed area was filled once more with Noise.

"Is this even legal?" Cato glared at them.

"Don't give us that crap," the Support Reaper retorted. "You guys have been breaking rules left and right. You've got to be eliminated for the sake of the UG."

"You underestimate us," Cato grinned.

"How so? All of the Taboo Sigils are outside these walls. You guys are all on your own now!" Cato sighed.

"Are you guys stupid? And you call yourself Reapers…" The Reapers' eyes widened as a black cluster of Noise swarmed in on them, completely bypassing the walls. Turning around, they saw Minamimoto with a look of triumph on his face and Kitaniji with his hands nonchalantly crammed in his pockets. Looking around nervously, Cato and Zero's jailers realized that in every sealed off area, a black cloud was manifesting itself within the walls.

"These walls aren't enough to stop the Noise…" a Reaper muttered spitefully. They realized their mistake too late; the walls broke apart instantly as the Reapers all fell to the ground unconscious or injured and the Players stepped out thoroughly disgusted at what had been a minor inconvenience. Slowly regrouping together, only a small pocket of oppression still existed, but they were completely on the run now, leaving the defeated Reapers at the mercy of the Players.

"What is with these damn Players?" A frustrated Reaper screamed from the ground, blood dripping down his face. Kitaniji grinned. Even the many years he had been Conductor had never seen such a well-organized Player resistance. It was not only the fact that there were a few Reaper Players and one of them knew how to control Taboo Noise; no other Game to date had revealed more Player counterattacks against Reapers. As a matter of fact, Kitaniji noted with some amusement as Minamimoto scurried after some fleeing Reapers with his mic in hand, the Players were actually the ones attacking the Reapers, whose attack had ended with the success of the Taboo Noise.

"You don't understand," Kitaniji flexed his hand. "You aren't the masters of the UG anymore." The Reapers looked up at him from the ground, terror evident in their faces as Kitaniji finished his thought.

"We are."

* * *

**Author's Note: Got a much needed break from TWEWY in last week; now I'm back in action! I'm working on several new stories, none of which will be updated often until Choose the World You See is complete, but all of which I am excited about and will be releasing and updating at random. Check out Immortal Madness if you are a Yu Yu Hakusho fan and would like to see how I approach the horror genre. I am also developing stories for Summon Night: Swordcraft Story, Shaman King, Inuyasha, Love Hina, Naruto, and Final Fantasy 7. Message me if you have a preference of which I complete and release first. Throw in a review for this story if you really want to get on my good side. **

**Crow**


	13. Taboo

**Chapter XIII: Taboo **

**Day 3 – Part III**

"What is going on out there?" Yashiro screamed irritably. Reapers had been rushing to see her nonstop since Day 3 had begun, babbling incoherent nothings before passing out at her feet. There were two Reapers present at the moment; though both were hyperventilating and about to lose consciousness.

"T…Taboo Noise," one replied weakly. Yashiro sucked in her breath.

"Minamimoto. Of course…where the hell is Kariya at a time like this?"

"Not sure, ma'am." Yashiro groaned.

"All right, you guys can take five, but then it's back to work!" The Reapers collapsed on the floor in gratitude, and were snoring loudly after a few moments. Yashiro nudged one in the gut with her foot before walking away in disgust. "I swear, I have to do everything around here," she grumbled. Taboo Noise on top of everything? And where the fuck is Kariya when you need him?

"Oh dear, you seem to be having trouble." Yashiro spun around and beheld a familiar face. No, she could never forget that infuriating smirk that was not obscured by his grey-blond hair and was accompanied by a condescending gaze that could reduce the pride of a narcissist to nothing. As he stood before her in a neatly pressed light shirt and dark pants, she pointed a trembling finger at him.

"What the hell are you doing here, brat? Weren't you brought back to life with all of Neku's other little friends?"

"Details. And my name isn't "brat." It's Joshua." Joshua grinned before her, a twinkle in his eye that did not parallel the mixture of fear and respect mingling in Yashiro's stomach. "I noticed you were having a hissy fit and thought you could use my input."

"You thought wrong," Yashiro stubbornly proclaimed. "Now get out of my sight. Dead or alive, I will erase you if you stick around."

"Whoa…you need to settle down," Joshua exclaimed, waving his hands in surrender. "Here's the thing, dear, your Reapers are nowhere near enough for these guys. You've got to up your tactics."

"Where does a pipsqueak like you get off telling me how to run the Reaper's Game?" Yashiro's nostrils flared as Joshua took a step back, looking away with a sense of triumph.

"Just hear me out," he said. "The Reapers are not having much luck so far because any weapon they can use, the Players can use better. Think about it; Players are using Reaper guns to deflect Reaper guns. The Noise are being warded off by more powerful Noise. Dozens of Reapers are being crushed by a few measly Players that clearly have more power."

"What's your point?"

"You need to move out of the physical realm," Joshua crooned. "Start thinking biological."

"Biological? What the hell…that sounds under-handed, even when it comes to crushing insects." Yashiro contemplated. Joshua shrugged.

"It's your choice," he began to slink away. "Just remember, all is fair in love and war. And make no mistake," he added, "that is exactly what you have on your plate."

Joshua's premonition was dead-on; more Reapers continued to be dragged in throughout the day, many delusional or injured. As more and more Support and Harrier Reapers were dispatched, Yashiro began to recognize the full depths of the chaos that was ensuing within the UG. "I need to go for a walk," she muttered to no one in particular, and preparing herself a bowl of ramen for lunch, she set off through Shibuya.

Though her Vibe had been lowered so she was within the structure of the RG, she could feel the disturbances within the UG. The air was charged and tension was high throughout the city; people were running around desperate to leave the streets, though there were no open traces of hostility to be seen. Some people were twitching uncomfortably, affected by a phenomenon they couldn't even see, but Yashiro knew with horror what was happening. The very fabric of that dimension, of the UG, was spilling over into the mundane Realground. But why?

Yashiro made her way through Shibuya, swept up in the tide of people eagerly escaping the streets. As she finished off her ramen, she caught sight of WildKat. Furrowing her brow, Yashiro raced inside.

"Welcome to WildKat! Oh…it's you," Mr. H's thrilled voice grew resound as he realized that his prospective business was just another social call.

"Yes, me," Yashiro said distractedly. "Mr. H…I think something is happening to the UG."

"Not just the UG," Mr. H said, "but all of the dimensions!" Yashiro cocked her head curiously.

"Want to elaborate on that a bit?" She asked. Mr. H sighed deeply.

"I hope it's nothing…but it'd be foolhardy to ignore what's happening around us. Come with me. As Game Master, it is your responsibility to mend this, and as Conductor and Producer, it is my duty to aid you." Yashiro followed him in confusion as he retired to his room. She stood outside his door awkwardly.

"You can come in, you know," she heard him laugh. She blushed.

"Okay, but if you try anything…" She stepped in his room to find him feeling the walls carefully with the tips of his fingers. "What are you doing?" She asked him. He placed his finger to his mouth.

"It's always difficult…finding access to my room."

"Are we not in your room right now?"

"My REAL room," Mr. H clarified. "Ah!" The wall parallel to his bed slid open, revealing a long hallway. Yashiro stared down it in shock as Mr. H began walking. Running after him, she noticed all of the extremely religious portraits on the walls, depicting Angels and Demons, God and Satan.

"I didn't take you for the religious type," she commented. Mr. H burst out laughing.

"Come now! A Reaper of all people should realize that such things have credibility!" As they reached the end of the hall, Yashiro beheld a massive library, stuffed with books and tomes that she had never laid eyes on before. There was not a speck of dust to be seen, and all were incredibly well-used. To Yashiro's surprise (though it should have been expected), there was a coffee machine snugly placed on a finely carved coffee table which sat between two comfortable looking couches. Mr. H gestured towards one, and Yashiro situated herself as he browsed through the shelves.

"Mr. H, why are we here?"

"Tell me missy, why are Taboo Noise taboo in the first place?" Yashiro frowned.

"Obviously because they attack both Players and Reapers without provocation," she replied, having experienced the turmoil they caused when Minamimoto was the Game Master. Mr. H shook his head.

"That is a problem, yes, and one that the Composer would have all of the Reapers believe qualifies said Noise as taboo. However, this only scratches the surface of the problem."

"What do you mean?"

Mr. H hesitated before he handed her a tome. She opened its fragile pages curiously, skimming past depictions of Angels and Demons. "Mr. H," she laughed nervously, "are you telling me that Taboo Noise have something to do with Angels and Demons?"

"You could say that," Mr. H said. "For what reason to Reapers exist?"

"Reapers operate the dimension between the RG and the Higher Plane," she said.

"Yeah, but you aren't looking at the big picture!"

"The big picture?"

"Exactly!" Mr. H scratched his chin. "Why do people have a chance to play in the Reapers' Game? Why don't people simply move on to the next plane?" When Yashiro shrugged, Mr. H sighed. "It's Imagination. Imagination is what keeps all planes and all of life going. It circles around Shibuya, and the entire world for that matter. Imagination is our life energy, most commonly known by people as their "souls," and where the inspiration for "magic" and "mana" come from in other fictitious works."

"I don't understand what you are getting at…"

"Imagination," Mr. H continued unfazed, "is what the Higher Plane of Angels is entirely made up of. Every being is comprised purely of Imagination. As you descend in the planes, there is less and less Imagination. The RG is the lowest plane in our particular dimension and has the least amount of Imagination. Reapers exist as mediating figures to send worthy Players that could be potential Reapers back into the RG and stimulate Imagination. Reapers have a much stronger Imagination, and some could even be powerful enough to ascend, but are allowed to remain in Shibuya to stimulate the UG."

"What does all of this have to do with Taboo Noise?" Yashiro asked, very much confused.

"I'm gettin' there," Mr. H replied. "Noise in general are made up primarily of Imagination. Anyone who can survive an encounter with Noise will find their Imagination increased. Taboo Noise are different than Noise though…"

"How so?"

"…Taboo Noise possess a "negative Vibe," for lack of a better phrase. In this case, they eat up Imagination. Before you were a Reaper, or even a Player for that matter, I'm sure you heard of "monsters," "demons," and "devils," did you not?" Yashiro nodded her head. "Players that survived encounters with Taboo Noise spread stories throughout the RG of their evil which eventually became the stories of myths and legends. When the Imagination depreciates, it causes problems."

"Problems?"

"Exactly, missy. Noise in general are bad, in the eyes of the Players, but they serve a purpose. They are born of Imagination, and even though they are conjured from negative emotions and can eat away at individuals, they are natural products of natural people. Taboo Noise, on the other hand…well, they don't come from any natural place. Some of the most superstitious of Reapers speculate that Taboo Noise are the Imagination of an even lower plane than the RG, one that people normally refer to as Hell. If they somehow made their way to the UG, they exist solely to disrupt the natural order of things. The Taboo refinery sigils summon them from Hell itself, and they could potentially break apart the very inter-dimensional fabric between the RG and the UG. If that happens, there will be no difference between the living and dead; Noise will be able to attack the living and erase their very souls, consuming their Imagination, and this singularized dimension would come to an end."

* * *

**Author's Note: To be honest, the prospect of making this Reapers' Game an inter-dimensional battle never even occurred to me until I started writing this chapter. Better believe that this will be one interesting Game! Also, any Naruto fans should check out my new series Chūnin Exam: Revamped. Surprisingly, with only three chapters, it has already completely surpassed Choose the World You See in favorites and follows. Guess it comes easier to me since I have been a fan since I was about 12…nevertheless, I will be committed to this series first and foremost. **

**Crow**


	14. Def Märch

**Chapter XIV: ****Def**** Märch**

**Day 3 – Part IV**

"Looks like we've almost made it through the day!" Cato exclaimed joyously, noting that the number of Reaper attacks had significantly decreased as the day was prolonged. The group had discovered a peaceful area to eat some dinner, contently munching on ramen noodles, curry, and sushi. Minamimoto clicked his tongue impatiently, still surging with power and eager to expend it on anyone fool enough to attack them, but it appeared their enemy had smartened up.

"That was much simpler than I expected," he commented, something Kitaniji agreed with, but with a more deeply-rooted suspicion of people in general, he was less pleased that things were running so smoothly.

"There's always a catch when things are going this well," Kitaniji spoke more to himself than the others.

"What could possibly go wrong?" Range asked, dribbling between his legs as he stepped after them. Mode slapped the ball out of his hands irritably.

"Obviously, we ain't the first Players they've ever had trouble with, and we won't be the last," she said as Range scrambled after his ball. "I'm sure they have countermeasures against peeps like us."

"It's incremental even if they do," Minamimoto declared triumphantly. "We hold the winning cards. They cannot create and control their own Taboo Noise unless they have a Taboo Reaper."

"And no one is that crazy…" Mean muttered under her breath. Minamimoto wacked her across the head, sending her flying into the ground.

"And without T…T…Taboo Nose, they can't b…b…beat us?" Median asked as she extended her hand to Mean, the latter who rejected it with a superior huff.

"Exactly," Mode rubbed Median's tangled hair fondly. Median grinned happily, noisily slurping up some noodles with vigor. As everyone turned their attention back to their meal, Kitaniji tapped Minamimoto on the shoulder.

"We need to talk," he mouthed. Minamimoto raised an eyebrow, but nodded and followed his partner to a secluded area.

"What's up, Megs?" Minamimoto asked, scattered remnants of rice stuck around his mouth. Kitaniji looked at Minamimoto with a fixed expression on his face.

"Who is the real mastermind of the Zetta Squad?" Minamimoto erupted into a coughing fit at this, clutching his side as he struggled to regain his composure in the face of Kitaniji's unexpected question.

"The real mastermind? Very perceptive…" Minamimoto looked thoughtful. "How'd you deduce that?"

"There were a lot of little things," Kitaniji began to raise his fingers as he ticked off each respective giveaway. "You supplied at least three or four of the other Players with Reaper guns, but since playing the Game was a mandatory sentence for you, you had to receive them from somebody else before you could distribute them. You knew I was participating in the Game, and I originally believed that the mutual friend you were referring to was Cato, but clearly it was someone with connections to the Reapers' Game. And finally, you hate working with people, so it was hard to imagine that you could organize this group alone."

Minamimoto scratched his head for a moment before he burst out laughing. "You were definitely the previous Conductor! Most people wouldn't connect the dots together like this. Unfortunately though, I can't tell you what you want to know."

"I'm your partner," Kitaniji protested, but Minamimoto brushed him off.

"Like you said, I hate working with people. I respect you, Megs, but don't mistake that for friendship. I've regained control of the UG and now I don't need anyone. You are my partner because it is required of Players trapped in the Game, but I have no need for the rest of those cronies."

Kitaniji, anti-social as he was, nonetheless felt very displeased by Minamimoto's apathy towards his fellow comrades-in-arms, but he brushed it off and turned away. "In that case, we're done here." Minamimoto followed him back, chortling in amusement. As they rounded the corner and came within sight of the rest of the Zetta Squad, a loud gunshot pierced the air.

"What the-?" Minamimoto stared at his fellow comrades blankly before collapsing to the ground, his body going into shock as a bloody hole opened in his chest. Kitaniji looked around rapidly as the other Players scrambled in alarm.

"Oh my God!" Mean screamed, tears already pouring from her eyes as she fastened herself onto Radian's arm.

"What happened?" Origin exclaimed.

"Excellent." Everyone looked up in alarm as Tenho and BJ descended from above, Reaper guns in hand.

"What did you do?" Cato demanded angrily.

"If Minamimoto is out, you cannot use the Taboo Noise," BJ snarled. "We're avenging 777 against you Players, right here and now!"

"Wait!" Kitaniji threw his hands up. "You've made a mistake! 777 was…"

"Don't you dare lie to us," Tenho whipped his gun out and began firing. "If the rest of the Reapers can't stop you, then we will!" The Reapers found their shots deflected as usual by Zero.

"Ah! This guy…" A wicked look came on BJ's face. Extending his palm, a nearby street lamp vibrated for a moment before it was lifted from the ground by a supernatural force, hovering above Zero.

"Zero!" Cato and Origin screamed, and Kitaniji watched in horror as the silent warrior was smashed by the lamp.

"Those bastards!" Mode yelled, but Range put his hand on her shoulder gently. "Get off me!" She exclaimed, but Range shook his head.

"Stay back," he warned, nodding his head toward Kitaniji. The former Conductor had been consumed by a sense of unnatural calm, but there was an air of intensity surrounding him. BJ and Tehno noticed this charged aura and shivered in spite of themselves.

"What…what's your problem?" BJ demanded, pointing his gun directly at Kitaniji's head.

"How disgraceful," Kitaniji lifted his own gun as well and pointed it directly at BJ. "Reapers are not meant to seek vengeance against a few measly Players. Do your job, you fools!"

"Save it!" Tenho exclaimed, tears dripping down his face. "Def Märch was everything to us! We were a family! You…you have no right to tell us that we cannot avenge our brother!" With the snap of his fingers, Noise began to consume the area, but Kitaniji had had enough.

"Time be still."

In the blink of an eye, Def Märch witnessed every last Noise being obliterated with ease, their own Reaper guns split down the middle. They were knocked to the ground, their Reaper hoodies shredded by an attack they could not even grasp. Looking up, Kitaniji stood over them, his foot placed on BJ's chest menacingly, the barrel of a gun pointed directly at his head. BJ coughed from an injury he could not even recall receiving, but that was very clearly hindering his ability to force the Reaper Player off.

"Hey…hey!" Tenho coughed up blood as he raised a shivering hand. "Get off of BJ…you bastard…" His hand fell to the ground as he lost consciousness. BJ, focus fading as well, looked at his band mate in alarm, but Kitaniji hunched over him and removed his glasses. BJ stared into Kitaniji's sharp eyes, eyes that had rarely been seen by any Reaper or Player. They contained unnaturally sharp pupils, black and focused, though somewhat sunken in and obscured by shadows. They were the eyes of a man who had seen much that he would rather forget about.

"Tell your friend this when he wakes up: 777 was erased by a Reaper: The Iron Maiden, Mitsuki Konishi. She in turn was erased by Neku Sakuraba and Daisukenojo Bito, two Players."

"Neku…Neku avenged 777?" BJ gasped, tears rolling down his face.

"Def Märch…" Extreme sadness was evident in Median's voice, and Mode and Range wrapped their arms around her as she leaned forward wishing to intervene.

"We thought…we thought Neku…777…oh God! What have we done?" BJ sobbed. Kitaniji lifted his foot off the Harrier Reaper and turned away.

"Reapers cannot bring emotion into their job. You have a duty to protect Shibuya by ensuring that worthy Players return to the RG to stimulate Imagination, or to increase Reaper ranks so that the UG continues to grow as well. You cannot be blinded by hatred and revenge."

"We…"

"It would be a waste to erase you. You are too talented to lose. However, I won't be so merciful if you hurt my comrades again."

BJ said nothing, and judging by his peaceful breathing, he had passed out as well. Kitaniji placed his shades back over his eyes and walked back to the rest of his comrades, all of whom had a bitter expression on their faces. Kitaniji glanced around. "Show me your pins." He demanded, startling the Players who were not familiar with Kitaniji's role as a leader. Reaching into their pockets, they dumped the contents on the ground. Kitaniji's eyes quickly scanned over them until he picked two up. "Origin, this pin was yours. Use it on Zero." He handed it back to her and she nodded, her face set determinedly. As she and Cato lifted up the street lamp off of their companion, Kitaniji turned back to the rest of the Zetta Squad. "Mean, this was yours. Use it on Minamimoto." Mean was shivering as she accepted the pin, and Degree and Radian both clenched her hands comfortingly. As Kitaniji began to walk away, Mean whimpered after him.

"Megs…I can't do this." Kitaniji threw her a sidelong glance, his eyebrows raised.

"So you're just going to let the leader of the Zetta Squad die?"

"No…I…"

"This is the Reapers' Game. You either overcome or submit. If you overcome, you will come back to life with a new outlook on things. If you submit, you and everyone you care for will face erasure. What is it going to be?"

"I want to come back to life…"

"If that is true, save my partner," Kitaniji replied. Mean nodded meekly and attended to Minamimoto. As Mean and Origin made use of their pins, healing their downed comrades, Range and Mode stood beside Kitaniji surveying the scene.

"Level with us," Mode said, "are we really gonna be okay?" Kitaniji faced the two Players, and for the first time, they witnessed his smile.

"Yes, I'm going to do everything I can to bring you back to life. Things are going to be all right."

"You…you promise?"

"I promise."

* * *

**Author's Note: Day 3 is now at an end! I know it's been a while since I've updated; three all-nighters in four days has not been an enjoyable experience. Even though I can't update as frequently, I am not by any means rushing the end to this series. Since adding the previous chapter, I revised and reconstructed the ending and enemies for each day. I truly love this series, and I want to complete it properly. Look forward to Day 4!**

**Crow**


	15. Choose the World You See

**Chapter XV: Choose the World You See**

**Day 4 – Part I**

"What's up, girly?" Kariya hobbled through Yashiro's office at the crack of dawn. Yashiro had fallen asleep at her desk, waking up with a start to find that she had been drooling over some paperwork. Quickly wiping away her embarrassment, she rounded on her partner.

"Kariya! Where have you been? I was looking for you all day yesterday!" She screamed.

Kariya stuffed a finger in his ear in annoyance. "I know you're the Game Master, but there is a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff that takes most of my attention during the day."

"What are you talking about?" Yashiro demanded. "I've been working with you for two years! I know exactly what kind of work Harriers do!"

Kariya frowned. "Now I don't see the reason to tell you about the additional work I've gotta take care of since you quit being my partner. If you wanna know, all you gotta do is give up your role as Game Master."

Yashiro's face contorted angrily. "Is that what this is about? Get out of my office right now!" Kariya sighed and stepped out. "But I will find out what you're up to," Yashiro whispered as his back vanished from her sight. "Count on it."

* * *

"Thanks to your efforts and the rest we got, everyone was able to escape Day 3 relatively unscathed," Kitaniji proclaimed as soon as the Zetta Squad had regrouped. Minamimoto had been heavily bandaged across his midsection, but Zero suffered no major and obvious damage, though he was still rather shaky.

"But Crunchy's pretty fucked up and Zero ain't so hot either," Mode commented, which Kitaniji acknowledged with an inclination of his head.

"And that is why we will be laying low today. I don't know how many Players are still left, but at this point, we need to consider the prospect that we are the only ones left."

"The only ones left?" Mean looked scandalized. "There were at least a hundred or so Players when we started!"

"One hundred and twenty-six to be exact," Minamimoto corrected her. "That algorithm has been modified. Crunch!"

"Crunch? They were Players. Same as you and me," Origin exclaimed tearfully. Cato looked at Minamimoto angrily, but the former Reaper Officer only shrugged.

"Can't change the way things are with the current guy in charge."

"The C…C…Composer?" Median asked.

"Bingo." Minamimoto scowled. "When that bastard is in control, everyone loses."

Kitaniji eyed his partner suspiciously. Sho Minamimoto had attracted a lot of attention within the Reaper divisions as being insane, unstable, but an absolute genius. Kitaniji understood the world better than that though…Minamimoto hated the Composer, and it wasn't simply out of envy. There was a method to his madness…

"Minamimoto…I don't know what happened between the two of you in the past, but I am fighting for his liberation from his duties as the Composer," Kitaniji declared. "At the same time, you are my partner, so I have no choice but to trust you. I think though…I would rather try to understand you than simply accept the way things are now."

Minamimoto stared at his partner incredulously for a moment. "I can't believe what I'm hearing! Such a zetta shame! Megumi Kitaniji, the former Conductor, has grown soft!"

"Why you…" Mode curled her fist in a ball, but Kitaniji raised his hand up to stop any act of aggression towards his partner. He removed his shades for a moment, looking extremely thoughtful.

"I used to think that way too. Compassion and understanding were weaknesses I didn't want to embody. I've been told that I used to care for people…I lost my Game with the Composer so I don't really remember it…but ever since I started this Game, I've strengthened my resolve. I'm fighting to expand my outlook on life, to free the Composer, and now I'm fighting so that you can understand others, if only a bit more. People deserve the chance to choose the world they see, but my sight is limited. I want to see more of this world with all of you."

Minamimoto stood in silence as he listened to Kitaniji's speech. He turned away as his partner finished and slumped against the ground, apparently fatigued. "This world is just made up of tangible numbers. Why do you insist on looking for imaginary ones?"

"Don't you know?" Kitaniji grinned as he pushed his shades back against his face. "The world is all about Imagination." Minamimoto looked nonplussed by the sudden arrival of Kitaniji's wit, but there was no time for dilly-dallying. "Let's go," Kitaniji looked over the Zetta Squad fondly. "Let's protect Minamimoto and Zero."

The number cruncher blushed as his comrades cheered. Zero was unreadable, but he allowed himself to be embraced by Cato and Origin who wrapped their arms around his neck. As the group took off together, Kitaniji took the lead, scouting for any dangers, while Minamimoto took the rear, still lagging due to his injuries, but more than anything, lost in contemplation over his partner's bizarre new mindset. As the Zetta Squad's leaders guarded the front and the rear, the rest of the Players were conversing in the middle of the group.

"Megs is really more impressive than I was expectin'," Cato chuckled. "Thought Captain Crunch was gonna shit his pants when Megs started philosophizing."

"Why is that?" Origin laughed dubiously. She had not gotten that impression, but her partner seemed quite certain.

"Can't you tell?" Cato grinned. "He's afraid. He's set in his ways and Megs is challenging him. Crunchy is like an old man, except he's also a bit of a hipster." Origin burst out laughing at this, and even Zero cracked an amused smile at this comparison.

"You certainly have a way with words," Origin said as she caught her breath. Cato found himself staring at his partner, embaressed with himself upon discovering that her lips looked surprisingly moist. Zero turned away and moved a little quicker to allow Cato to fall back with Origin.

"So…err, where'd ya get all those rings?" He asked as she brushed her hair back gracefully.

Origin looked at the rings on her fingers and smiled. "From my daddy. We had this tradition…every year, for my birthday, he would take me to an exotic zoo and buy me a ring as a memento. This one…" Origin gestured towards a stainless steel ring with a gorilla's face, "…was the first one I remember getting."

"I about got my hand bitten off by a lion," she added with a grin. Cato laughed along with Origin as she reminisced at this memory. "I couldn't stop myself from feeding the animals. They are just so cute…"

"I thought you were just bein' a baby with those pig Noise," Cato recalled Origin's reaction at the notion of shooting the pigs during the second day. "But you just really love animals, don't you?"

"I do," Origin sighed wistfully. "But I don't have the talent to do anything for them…"

"Don't say that!" Cato exclaimed, startling Origin. "You just gotta do your best and believe in yourself! I know you can do it!"

"Aww…you're so sweet," Origin smiled. Cato blushed as they walked along, relieved that Minamimoto was still fairly far behind, whereas Mean's jiggling back was a few hundred feet ahead.

"So what about you, Root?" Cato snapped back to reality as Origin directed her question at him. "What did you do before the Reapers' Game?"

"Well, I…"

"You look like you would have made a great thug," Origin giggled. Cato scowled, but if his dialect and mannerisms didn't reveal as much, his appearance certainly did.

"School wasn't really my thing…I dropped out and became a Tigre Punks model to support my mom after my deadbeat dad left, but she was hospitalized thanks to a car wreck shortly before I died. Her injuries were pretty bad…I doubt she's still alive. It might just be a selfish wish to hope that she still is…" Cato jumped in alarm as Origin gripped his hand gently and looked up at him with teary eyes.

"I'm really sorry…" she whispered. "You must really love your mom…"

"Yeah…but it's life," Cato shrugged in a worthy attempt to be nonchalant. "People live, people die. We just gotta make the most of the cards we're given."

"That's mature of you…" Origin muttered. Her eyes widened slightly and she grabbed Cato's hand with a smile. "Look, the others are slowing down for us. Let's run and catch up with them!"

Cato grinned and allowed himself to be pulled along as they rushed towards the rest of the Zetta Squad. Kitaniji was standing tall behind Mean who was once again clinging to an uncomfortable Radian. Degree was laughing at his brother and was swinging on Zero and Range's arms. Median was humming as she stood beside Mode who was watching the scene bemused before she became aware of the incoming footsteps.

"Hey, guys!" She waved at Cato and Origin.

"Hey!" Cato yelled still running. He stopped as suddenly Origin's arm yanked behind him. When had he gotten ahead of her? "Let's pick up the pace girl!" He turned around to face his partner.

Origin stood still behind Cato, her body shivering as her eyes slowly shifted down. A fist sized hole had suddenly appeared over her left breast. Cato watched horrified as her body went rigid and she fell to the ground.

"Origin!" Cato heard the Zetta Squad scream around him as they ran up to their fallen comrade, but Cato could not look at anything except his partner.

"Origin…" He whispered as he crouched before her. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"Forget…the whole Origin thing…**cough cough**." A shivering hand touched Cato's face. Tears were freely falling from his eyes as he gripped her hand against his face. "My name…is…Yuzuki."

"Yuzuki…" Cato swallowed. "I'm Cato…nice to meet you."

Yuzuki gave a weak chuckle. "Hey, Cato…want to be my first kiss?" Cato embraced Yuzuki as he locked his lips with hers. As he pulled away, she placed both of her hands around his face. "That was…wonderful. I…would love to have a ton of more moments…like that with you."

"You will…goddammit Yuzuki, you will. Don't you leave me. Don't you dare fuckin' leave me," Cato sobbed, but it was no good. He felt her hands part from his face as they collapsed gently back on the ground. With her last breath of air, she whispered two words before her eyes closed.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

**Author's Note: Wow, it has been a long time since I've updated this. I'm starting to get even more ideas for it, even though I've grown much slower at piecing it together. I've gotten spoiled on the popularity of a few other series…but this was the first series that really got me going, so I'm committed to finishing and polishing it up. Anticipate good times! From here on out, people are going to start getting killed off…ahem, erased. This was my plan from the start so please don't feel like I've just become impatient now. Please review, favorite, and follow. That is the best motivation I can get. **

**Crow**


	16. Seven Minutes

**Chapter XVI: Seven Minutes **

**Day 4 – Part II**

Cato rose to his feet slowly as Yuzuki faded from sight, dispersing into millions of tiny golden particles that swept past the grieving Player. Median and Mode had fallen to their knees in grief and Zero was grasping his Reaper gun fiercely. Kitaniji's eyes darted around Shibuya. There was no way the rest of his comrades would have their wits about them to successfully defend against any further attacks, but he was not going to let any more of his comrades be erased.

"Minamimoto!" He yelled, but this was quite unnecessary. A flurry of footsteps approached the group and Minamimoto was there, panting painfully as sweat dripped down his arms and chest.

"I heard a shot," he huffed. "What happened?"

"Origin…was erased," Radian lamented. Minamimoto's eyes widened.

"She…she was just there…" Mode whimpered. Range placed his hand on her shoulder and for once, she didn't push him away.

"I've been scanning the entire area," Kitaniji explained, "and there wasn't a Reaper or Noise in sight. A shot like that only means one thing."

Minamimoto gasped. "But that's forbidden, even during an Emergency Call!"

"I guess they're playing hardball now," Kitaniji replied with a grimace.

"What are you talking about?" Mean demanded. Kitaniji faced the Zetta Squad grimly.

"The Reaper Officers have joined the Game."

"Where?" The haunting question came from Cato's mouth as he faced the ex-Reapers. Kitaniji and Minamimoto exchanged a glance as Cato clenched his fist around Yuzuki's Reaper gun.

"You've only got seven minutes left…" Kitaniji warned him, but Cato pulled Kitaniji forward by the collar and leaned in.

"I don't care. Before I go, I gotta avenge Yuzuki." Kitaniji stared into the punk's determined eyes. No fear or hesitation.

"Then quickly, follow me," Kitaniji said.

"Megs! Wait a second!" Minamimoto protested, but Kitaniji shook his head.

"I've got my Reaper gun still. You stay here and protect the others. I'm counting on you, Minamimoto." Kitaniji took off with Cato, leaving a stunned Minamimoto behind to take care of his devastated companions.

"Where we goin', Megs?" Cato demanded as he trailed the former Conductor.

Kitaniji glanced at him bitterly. "I was too stupid to realize who was targeting us. Origin was erased by Kirai."

"Kirai?"

"Yeah," Kitaniji breathed. "She was a Reaper Officer that was furious when Minamimoto was appointed Game Master instead of her. All of the Reapers are proficient to a degree in long-range weapons, but she is the best of the best. I didn't sense or see her because she was targeting us from several miles away."

"Several miles?" Cato exclaimed. "We've gotta jack a vehicle, asap!"

"It doesn't work like that," Kitaniji groaned. "We've can't operate anything that doesn't have a decal. I'm afraid we're going to be on foot."

"Not necessarily!" Kitaniji heard a man yell behind him. Wheeling around, the duo saw Mode and Range panting after them.

"What're you two doing?" Cato demanded. "We're in a hurry!"

"I know," Range gasped for breath. "I am proficient at levitating. I will get you guys there quickly if you can point me in the right direction."

"It came from over there," Kitaniji pointed towards the highest building he could see. It would be Kirai's style to be perched at the highest point in the city, looking down on all of her potential targets.

"I've got this," Range exclaimed, and he sent a wave of energy over Cato and Kitaniji.

"Cato…I'm so sorry about Origin," Mode whimpered as her friends began to ascend.

"Don't worry," he replied livid. "Before I go, I'm gonna get the bitch that did this to us."

Lifting them, Range elevated them high into the air over the city and began to levitate them towards the building Kitaniji had pointed out. From the sky, Cato and Kitaniji heard Mode scream at the top of her lungs. Looking down panicked, they saw that Range had fallen to his knees in agony, blood clearly dripping down his chest.

"Range!" Cato yelled out. The power holding them in the air suddenly felt extremely fragile, but Range pushed with all of his might and speedily landed them on the nearest building before the spell broke and he crumbled.

"Is Range gonna be okay?" Cato demanded.

Kitaniji flinched thinking about it. "I don't know, but if we don't defeat her quickly, she's going to keep picking us off one by one! This isn't just a matter of vengeance. We have to save everyone!"

"Shit…only five minutes," Cato glanced panicky at his watch.

"Follow me!" Kitaniji exclaimed as they began free running, hopping from building to building in a desperate haste. After the fourth or fifth building, he saw the target building. "Get ready!" He exclaimed as the duo hurdled over the top. As they landed, the first thing that became evident was what looked like a series of pipes connected together, held up by several thin stands, and complimented by a scope.

"There's her sniper rifle," Kitaniji breathed. "We call it Eagle Eye."

"Looks like a pain in the ass to set up and move around," Cato commented. "But where is Kirai?"

"Up here!" Cried a female's voice as a gunshot went off. Cato gasped as he fell to the ground hard, a gaping hole in his stomach. His intestines began sliding out as he shuddered and then went still.

"Cato!" Kitaniji cried in alarm as Kirai gently fluttered to the ground with her Reaper gun pointed at Kitaniji's throat.

"Good to see you, Megumi," she breathed. "What in the hell are you doing babysitting Players?"

"I am a Player," Kitaniji snarled. "What in the hell do you think **you're** doing? Only one Reaper Officer is supposed to be involved in the Game, and that is the Game Master."

"Yeah, well the Game Master is not a Reaper Officer," she replied smoothly as she played with her gun. "It doesn't matter anyway. While I catch up with you, other Reaper Officers are taking care of your friends." She gave Kitaniji a moment for the horror of his predicament to sink in before she purred, "Besides, if you want to be a Reaper again, I can make it happen."

"What do you mean?" Kitaniji asked suspiciously. Kirai kept her gun to Kitaniji's throat as she moved closer, wrapper her arms around his chest.

"It's called 'compensation.' I do you a favor and I expect the same," she whispered in his ear as he fixed his stare straight ahead.

"It's never going to happen between us," Kitaniji stated simply.

Kirai looked outraged. "I'm not giving you a choice in this! Either you help me wipe out these Players and become my lover, or I'll blow your brains out right here and now!"

"You don't understand," Kitaniji said patiently. "It physically wouldn't be possible for anything to happen between us."

"Why is that?" Kirai pressed the gun closer to Kitaniji's throat. She screamed in agony as a loud noise echoed and her hand fell to the ground with her gun. Staring at her bleeding stump of an arm, she wheeled around and saw Cato on the ground with Origin's gun pointed at her.

"When you've been erased," Kitaniji whispered in Kirai's ears, "you have no body for physical romance." He punched her in the face, causing her to fall to the ground hacking, tears dripping down her face.

"No, please! There's been some kind of misunderstanding," she begged. Cato struggled to his feet, one hand holding back his guts, the other hand steadily holding Origin's gun.

"I'll see you in hell," he breathed as he popped the gun off. It went through Kirai's left breast, just as it had for Origin. Kirai stared at where her heart had been and screamed as she faded into nothingness. Cato dropped his gun to the ground and allowed the tears to pour as he fell to the ground on his back. Shuddering, he looked at his watch.

"One minute to spare…thanks for everything, Megs."

Kitaniji stooped before him, staring into Cato's eyes, noticing that though he was clearly in agonizing pain, he seemed to be at peace. Kitaniji looked away solemnly and Cato looked up at him curiously.

"Megs?" He croaked weakly.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to save you and Origin," Kitaniji apologized.

"Hey, it's cool," Cato chuckled. "We gambled and lost. You've gotta get your ass back to the Zetta Squad. You heard that bitch…there are Reaper Officers attacking."

"Yeah," Kitaniji nodded. "I'll…I'll go save everyone."

"Hey, Megs?"

Kitaniji watched as Cato's time was up. Deconstructing at the stomach, Cato's body began to deteriorate in a golden cloud of glory. Kitaniji placed his hand into the mist with his eyes closed as Cato began to fade.

"Yeah, Cato?"

With nothing but his face and hand remaining, Cato gripped Kitaniji's hand firmly and said with a grin, "You were truly a cool dude."

Staring down at where Cato had previously been, Kitaniji took off his shades. That's right…Cato was the first Player he had accepted as his ally. As he thought back to their first encounter, his eyes began to sting. He picked up Origin's gun and straightened up. As he watched the remnants of Cato's corporeal form drift towards the horizon, Kitaniji felt water dripping down his face.

"Huh…" he muttered. "Didn't think it was supposed to rain today." Looking up at the bright sun with a shrug, Kitaniji turned his gaze in the direction of the Zetta Squad. "Farewell, Cato."

* * *

**Author's Note: Two down! Cato's creation inspired my entire cast of OC characters, so it is a bit of a bummer erasing him, but it had to happen. Review, favorite, follow, and stay tuned! **

**Crow**


	17. Zero Unmasked

**Chapter XVII: Zero Unmasked**

**Day 4 – Part III**

"How could this have happened?" Mean shrieked, falling to the ground, cowering as Reapers emerged from the shadows, surrounding the remainder of the Zetta Squad. Only Minamimoto, Mean, Median, Degree, Radian, and Zero were left standing where Origin had been erased. Where was everyone?

"Looking good, Sho," growled a rather tall Reaper with a claw-like appendage around his hand. His brown hair was spiked with ridiculous amounts of hair gel and tribal tattoos sleeved his arms.

"Prowler," Sho acknowledged the Reaper with the tip of his hat. "I would say it's good to see you but it isn't. You're even less beautiful than the last time I saw you!"

Prowler scraped his claws along Minamimoto's face, drawing blood as Degree whimpered. Radian stood up angrily, but as the other Reaper Officers cocked their guns dangerously, he sank back to the ground defeated.

"You aren't as scared as you should be," Prowler drawled, "considering Kirai is taking care of Mr. Kitaniji at this point."

"Kirai?" Minamimoto groaned. That sadistic bitch could get off as easily on the pain of others as she could on sex. Megs would be in for a painful dismemberment if he could not take care of her.

"And don't forget, when your partner is erased, you are erased as well," Prowler reminded Minamimoto. The number cruncher grinned at this.

"You talk too much." Prowler turned around in alarm as Taboo Noise manifested themselves in front of him and his officers.

"REDUCE THE FACTIONS!" Minamimoto howled gleefully. His eyes widened as the Noise were instantly shredded by Prowler and his crew.

"Now, Sho," Prowler said with a hint of disappointment in his voice. "Surely you didn't think that would be any trouble for a Reaper Officer! Taboo Noise are only a challenge for Players, other Noise, and newbie Reapers. If you had wanted to take us out with that, only a surprise attack would have had a chance."

"Hmm, true," Minamimoto frowned. "This wouldn't be a problem under normal circumstances. You shouldn't be in our domain in the first place."

"Your domain?" Prowler chuckled as he pressed close to Minamimoto. "This is our domain…bitch. We control everything in Shibuya, and you are no exception, though now that I think about it, your erasure will probably happen once Kirai finishes off Mr. Kitaniji."

"You really are an idiot," Minamimoto chided. "There's a reason I chose Megs to be my partner."

Prowler scowled and wrapped his claws around Minamimoto's neck. "Because he was the Conductor?"

"Nope," Minamimoto breathed in Prowler's ear. "Because Megs won't be erased by anyone." The Reaper Officers all screamed in alarm as Prowler's head disintegrated, not even a foot away from Minamimoto.

"What…what the hell did you do?" One screamed.

Minamimoto had an extremely amused look on his face as Prowler's body fell to the ground and began disappearing. "Perfect timing, Megs," he chuckled.

"Mr. Kitaniji? Where is he?" The Reapers began to scatter, but one after another, they were decapitated by an unseen assailant.

"It couldn't be!" One gasped as he ducked behind a nearby vehicle. The next shot went through the vehicle, impaling the Reaper Officer, as Minamimoto burst into triumphant laughter.

"It is! Megs defeated Kirai and is using Eagle Eye on you!"

"Scatter!" The Reapers screamed as they were picked off one by one.

"But how? He shouldn't be this skilled!" One screamed in frustration.

"Brother, I don't understand what's going on," Degree whispered as the Reapers took off.

Radian placed his hand on Degree's head comfortingly. "It's gonna be okay, Hayato. Megs is taking care of us."

"Yeah! Take that!" Mean cheered as the last of the Reaper Officers fled.

"Don't get too comfortable, tubs," Minamimoto said to Mean's chagrin. "They'll be back, but Megs somehow managed to buy us some time. No telling what the cost was though…"

"So w…what are we gonna do?" Median asked.

Minamimoto put his hand to his chin contemplatively. "We've gotta get to where Megs is. Mode and Range ran off after him and Root whenever they took off. Who knows if they're still okay…?"

"So we regroup and see who's left?" Radian asked. "Sounds depressing…"

"It's the only chance we have," Minamimoto frowned. "Our odds are pretty low right now."

"Yeah…I got you," Radian replied. "Let's get going!"

The group took off together, Minamimoto surveying the surroundings extra cautiously as he ran ahead of Radian and Degree, followed by Mean, Median and Zero. He was confident that Kitaniji was still watching over them, but the sooner they got back together, the better off they would be. And besides…Minamimoto glanced back at his squad's shortening numbers. _Things are getting way too risky._

"Whoa! What are those?" Mean screamed. Minamimoto stopped dead in his tracks as a shining gleam caught his attention.

"Those…" He stared straight ahead as a pair of golden minks came into sight. He stopped everyone with an outreached hand as they came up behind him.

"What's up?" Degree asked from Radian's shoulder.

"Why do mathematicians always have so many problems to solve?" He groaned.

"What are th…those?" Median asked.

"Golden Noise," Minamimoto hissed. "It's a common misconception that Taboo Noise are the strongest Noise out there. Golden Noise are actually the strongest."

"That's right," exclaimed a female voice from above them. The group looked up in alarm.

"Ah! It's Pinky!" Degree yelled. Indeed, the unorthodox Game Master had made her first appearance since Day 1, and though she was glaring at Minamimoto, she did not appear to have any weapons out.

"Ordinary Noise," she said, "are the manifestations of negative emotions. But Golden Noise are emotions so positive, so joyous, they take on a form of their own as well."

"What's your point?" Minamimoto snapped.

"Let me cut to the chase," Yashiro smiled sweetly. "I'm here to ask you to stop using Taboo Noise."

The shock generated from her request was unanimous among the Zetta Squad. "You guys have been attacking us, erasing us, making us play for our very lives, and you want us to stop using the only real weapon we've got?" Radian asked disbelievingly. "You high, lady?"

"My Golden Noise are good incarnate," Yashiro replied, "whereas your Taboo Noise are evil incarnate. They are ripping apart the fabric of reality and must be stopped at all costs. I'm asking you politely to stop."

Minamimoto rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I see…well in that case…" He raised both his middle fingers high into the sky and stuck out his tongue with a wicked grin. "Like I fuckin' care!"

"I see," Yashiro raised her eyebrow with a grimace. "In that case, it truly is a battle between good and evil. We, the Reapers, are righteous. We will stop you, Sho Minamimoto, from destroying Shibuya."

"I don't know what you're blabbering about, and I don't really care," Minamimoto hissed. "I'm gonna become the Composer using any means necessary. Trash like you that stand in my way will just get added to the heap."

"Then it would seem we are at a standstill," Yashiro said, "but I'm not quite through with you just yet!" She whipped out a gun and pointed it at Minamimoto, the latter who raised his eyes in surprise.

"You really ARE unorthodox! Game Masters can't harm Players until the Composer allows for it."

"Who said anything about harming Players?" Yashiro sneered. "I had no such intentions!" As she fired several shots, the Zetta Squad flinched. As they slowly opened their eyes, they looked at one another in surprise, finding no injuries to speak of. However, as they turned back to Zero, they realized that he had been Yashiro's target from the beginning. The high collar of his _gakuran _had been completely obliterated, revealing his agape mouth. A shot had struck the bill of his cap, knocking off his cloth hat and revealing a mess of orange hair. His yellow rimmed glasses slipped down his face from the recoil of Yashiro's shots.

"So...it was you all along?" Yashiro sighed with much pain in her voice. "I can't believe you would betray me…Kariya…"

* * *

**Author's Note: And there you have it! Kariya was Zero all along, explaining his mysterious absence. The next chapter will elaborate more on this, so look forward to it! Not sure when my next update will be; finals are approaching, plus I recently bought Fire Emblem: Awakening and Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers for the 3DS, so I've become rather distracted as of late. They are extremely good games, but really, I'm just ready for the semester to end. Good luck to the rest of you who face similar challenges!**

**Crow**


	18. Mastermind

**Chapter XVIII: Mastermind**

**Day 4 – Part IV**

Kariya did not attempt to conceal the grimace that his unmasking had exposed as the rest of the Zetta Squad pointed at him in surprise. He was not in a state of shock, and despite the obvious anguish that Yashiro was now enduring, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a lollypop, sticking it into his mouth with relish. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way," Kariya said slowly, "but there wasn't really an easy way to tell you."

"You KNOW each other?" Radian exclaimed in shock. "Zero, who the hell are you?"

"My name is Koki Kariya, and prior to this particular Reapers' Game, I was a Harrier Reaper and the partner to our lovely hostess."

"Don't try sweet talking your way out of this!" Yashiro yelled, causing Kariya to drop his lollypop in surprise. "I want an explanation right here and now!"

"Can't really give you one," Kariya frowned. "It's for your own good though, Yashiro…"

"For my own good? This has been your plan from the start! To dethrone me! Why are you this against me becoming a Reaper Officer, Kariya? I've never wanted anything more!"

Kariya heaved a deep sigh and turned away. "Is it not obvious to you right now? You've become so consumed by power, you've completely lost sight of what is truly important. This is what happens to all Reaper Officers…"

"Lost sight of what's important my ass! Do you realize what you've done by utilizing Taboo Noise in this fight?" Yashiro screamed furiously. Minamimoto glanced around nervously as all around them, the wings of Reapers slowly stretched out, the silver glimmer of a gun flickering from place to place.

"I know exactly what I'm doing, Yashiro," Kariya replied softly. "You've got to trust me."

"No, fuck you," Yashiro retorted. "Just because I can't attack you until the last day doesn't mean the rest of these guys can't! Sic 'em!"

Mean screamed and grabbed Range's arm panicked as all of the Reaper Officers emerged triumphantly, brandishing their guns. As Yashiro snapped her fingers, more Golden Noise appeared, beginning a full scale assault against the Zetta Squad. Minamimoto quickly whisked in Taboo Noise from all corners of Shibuya to their aid as his form was consumed by the tattoo-like sigils stretching around his body.

"You zeros have been asking for it," he snarled, before sparing Kariya a glance. "No pun intended."

"Your Taboo sigils won't last much longer," Yashiro taunted as the Taboo Noise absorbed the hail of Reaper shots and Golden Noise strikes.

"Elaborate."

"Even as we speak, Reaper Officers have scoured the entire city, deconstructing the evil you have built. Your Taboo Noise refinery sigils are being erased, one by one."

Minamimoto snarled, but as his Taboo Noise began disappearing without any obvious damage, the truth of Yashiro's statement was confirmed.

"You can't win," Yashiro grinned smugly. "Give up."

"Ain't gonna happen," Minamimoto retorted, but as the Taboo Noise dwindled, the Zetta Squad could do nothing but raise their hands in surrender. Yashiro danced around them in triumph, spinning in a full circle as the last Noise disappeared.

"Care to say that again?" She asked. Minamimoto bit his lip as he refrained from responding. "That's a good boy," Yashiro whispered menacingly. "But relax. I've still got some questions for Kariya before I have you guys offed."

"Yes?" Kariya asked, sounding overly interested.

Yashiro scowled. "If you were participating in this game the entire time, how were you still able to visit with me?"

"Well, I called up the Officers who adjust the Game's settings and told them that Zero was not to be affected by the automatic Player-induced sleep."

"You couldn't possibly have that kind of clearance!" Yashiro exclaimed outraged.

Kariya shrugged. "I just pretended that I was you."

"Excuse me?" Yashiro sounded incredulous.

"Yeah," Kariya said, sounding proud as the pitch of his voice rose. "That is **so** whatever!"

Yashiro blushed as Degree burst into childish laughter. "That was perfect!"

"Oh, you liked that?" Kariya's eyes twinkled beneath his glasses. "How about this. *ahem* Ohmygawd! Who made today's mission for ages three and up?"

"Enough!" Yashiro screamed as she turned a deep crimson red, prompted by the collective laughter around her. It was not merely the Zetta Squad; the Reaper Officers appeared unable to contain their mirth as well.

Kariya coughed as Yashiro's rage brought him back to a more serious disposition. "Anyway, with this function disabled for me, I just feigned sleep whenever I saw my comrades pass out. I would run and gather some intel, occasionally chitchat with you, and then take a nap in the streets. If I woke up early, I would come see you again, but if not, I'd wake up around the same time as everyone else. It's pretty convenient, having a body that can keep up with what's goin' on."

"I see," Yashiro muttered, narrowing her eyes. "And the one responsible for smuggling Reaper guns into this Game was…"

"Me, yes," Kariya mildly interrupted.

"And you won't tell me why you're doing this?" She asked.

"Well, you've already decided that for yourself, haven't ya?" Kariya replied bluntly.

"An assumption built off of probable cause," Yashiro retorted.

"Well, you know what they say about ASSumptions," Kariya cracked, causing Degree to burst into hysterical fits of laughter despite the barrel that was still pointed directly at his head.

"Enough of this," Yashiro snapped. "Erase them!" As she snapped her fingers, another pair of fingers also snapped a short distance behind the posted Reaper Officers.

"Time be still."

As Yashiro turned her head in the direction of the voice, all of the Reapers in sight collapsed to the ground. "What is this?" She asked furiously.

"Megs!" Minamimoto exclaimed, relief evident in his normally well-controlled voice as Kitaniji stepped in front of the Zetta Squad. He tipped his shades forth as he faced Yashiro.

"Sorry, but I won't have you erasing any more of my comrades," he said determinedly. As Yashiro stared at the bodies of the Reaper Officers, he cracked an amused smile. "Don't worry; they're just unconscious. I wouldn't massacre that many Reapers merely in self-defense."

"Why are things turning out this way?!" Yashiro screamed in frustration.

As she stomped at the ground, Degree whispered up to Kitaniji, "Why doesn't she just attack us?"

"She can't," Kitaniji whispered back. "The Game Master cannot attack or be attacked by a Player until the Composer allows for it."

"Gotcha," Degree whispered as they watched Yashiro flailing around angrily. With her chest heaving, she pointed at them with a trembling finger.

"You idiots don't realize what your actions are about to cause! Kariya!" Yashiro stared at Kariya helplessly who suddenly looked rather guilty as he turned away. "You have to stop this right now, Kariya! If we really are partners, you have to help me end this, right here and now!"

"I can't, Yashiro. When this is over, maybe you'll understand…"

"I think that's enough."

Everyone looked around startled as a familiar voice joined the fray.

"You!" Yashiro, Minamimoto, Kitaniji, and Kariya all yelled simultaneously as the voice's master emerged from behind Yashiro.

"Ah, dammit," Minamimoto groaned loudly. "Why did he have to join now, of all times?"

"And whose side are you on?" Kitaniji asked.

"Well, Mr. H?"

As WildKat's bartender blinked uncomfortably under the weight of the four dominant characters whose development he had largely fostered, he shrugged.

"Who knows? 'Sides'…that's just a word. What I do might be for all of your sakes, regardless of which category, good or evil, you place me in."

"Thanks for that amazing bit of wisdom," Yashiro muttered. Mr. H ignored her and pointed at Kariya.

"The reason I'm here is for you. I'm afraid there's some unfinished business to attend to…"

* * *

**Author's Note: First day of summer vacation and I didn't want to do anything but write and release a brand new chapter! I was particularly stoked for Choose the World You See because after 200+ nerdy hours of enjoying TWEWY, I finally achieved 100% pin completion today, meaning that I maxed out on everything the game had to offer except drop rate and ESP'er points. I'll probably continue going at that at my own pace until that is maxed out as well, but nonetheless, it is awesome having every character in the title screen unlocked. Best of luck to those of you still finishing off the semester, and everyone have an enjoyable summer! Look forward to more updates! Review, favorite, follow!**

**Crow**


	19. Renegade's Punishment

**Chapter XIX: Renegade's Punishment**

**Day 4 – Part V**

"Unfinished business?" Kariya asked calmly, though a trickle of sweat was descending down his forehead in anticipation of what was to come. "I'm afraid I don't understand what you're talking about."

"I think you do," Mr. H smiled wryly as he walked slowly towards Kariya. "After all, you were a Harrier, so you know the rules of the Game as well as anyone."

Yashiro thought back to her previous discussion with Mr. H in regards to the identity of Zero and her eyes widened. "Mr. H, you don't mean…"

"Oh, but I do!" Mr. H exclaimed. "Koki Kariya, for siding with the Players against the Reapers, you are hereby stripped of your Harrier rank, your Reaper status, and your wings. You are now no more or less than any other partner-less Player."

As Mr. H snapped his fingers, the sound of glass shattering into pieces surrounded Kariya. His wings, which he had kept hidden so well, had burst into fragments and were vanishing on the ground, much to the amazement of the Zetta Squad. Kariya closed his eyes but accepted this penalty relatively stoically. Yashiro, on the other hand, was gripping her head, struck by a sudden migraine. A low whimper escaped her lips and the Players looked at her curiously.

"Uzuki! You okay?" Kariya asked as he ran over to her. Mr. H pushed his glasses up with the back of his fingers as he watched the scene grimly.

"Sorry, but I'm afraid this is also part of your punishment."

Kariya spun around, perspiring greatly. His sense of calm had completely left him. "What do you mean by that? What have you done to Uzuki?"

"Those who enter the Reapers' Game must pay an entry fee," Mr. H said ominously. "Kariya, what is it you cherish most?"

"No!" Kariya screamed as Yashiro began rolling around on the ground. Mr. H strolled over to the writhing Yashiro and stooped in front of her.

"Relax; she's our Game Master so we can't exactly remove her. On the other hand, we can hold on to her memories with you." And with that, Mr. H plunged his hand into Yashiro's head. The Players yelled in alarm, but the hand passed through Yashiro's skull as though it were water, and as it retracted, it was gripped around a wispy white orb.

"Why do I have to be partnered up with such a slacker?" It echoed.

Kariya's eyes opened wide. "Uzuki?" He whispered fearfully.

The orb continued to resonate with the sound of Yashiro's thoughts, occasionally intermingled with Kariya's voice. Kariya simply watched aghast as familiar memories surfaced once more. "Reaper Sport 3: A Player Hunt!" "I've got a new mission: Defeat the pissed-off Reaper!" "Uzuki! Look out!" "I love this town just as much as you. So I've decided. I can't leave Shibuya like this. I have to change it. All Reapers deserve to enjoy their work. To feel rewarded!"

As the most ambitious of Yashiro's goals came into light, the real Yashiro finally stopped clutching her head, and rose to her feet with a strangely glazed look in her eyes. "Mr. H, what am I doing here?" She asked nonplussed. She looked around, seeing the unconscious Reapers and flabbergasted Players. "I…I recognize everyone except the freak with the orange hair. Did he do all this?"

"Don't think too hard about it," Mr. H said smoothly. "Just get back to your office and recover for the rest of today. Tomorrow will be a better day."

"But…we're in an Emergency Call," Yashiro protested weakly. "I've got to end this now!" She pointed her gun directly at her former partner's heart. Kariya stared at her incredulously as her finger fell over the trigger.

"Missy!" Mr. H barked sternly. "You cannot harm any Player until the Composer allows for it."

"You're right," Yashiro lowered her gun, a blush creeping over his face. "I almost made a novice mistake. Thanks, maybe I should rest after all…"

"Please do," Mr. H said encouragingly. Yashiro's wings flapped and with a powerful burst, she launched off the ground and abandoned the scene. Kariya could do nothing but watch her leave bitterly, a painful reminder of his current inability to fly after her. As her figure disappeared into the sky, Mr. H faced the group with a sigh.

"You want your entry fee back, you know what to do," Mr. H said as he pocketed the orb. "Win the Reapers' Game. Good luck."

"Damn…DAMMIT!" Kariya pounded the ground, smattering his knuckles with blood as Mr. H walked away. From Mr. H's pockets, Yashiro's memories involving Kariya continued to echo.

"U…Uzuki Yashiro? This is…this is BJ. You know, BJ, the Harrier. Um…I was wondering…if, ah, if you aren't busy erasing Players, would you…would you like to go and, I dunno, grab a bite with me?"

"…Get lost, loser. Besides, I've already got somebody that I like." As a wail of anguish followed the phone's disconnection on the other end, Yashiro whispered into her cell, "and no matter what kind of trouble I get into, he's always going to be there for me. No one can compete with that…no one."

* * *

Mr. H entered WildKat, releasing a massive sigh that he had been holding back since demoting Kariya. "Coffee…I need coffee," he muttered irritably as he headed straight for his coffee maker. As he got a steaming cup brewing, he looked at the various sweeteners he possessed, and finally, he dumped in a handful of sugar cubes before chugging it down.

"You're in an unusually foul mood," a voice drawled behind him as he finished off the bittersweet drink. He did not need to turn around to know who his unwanted guest was.

"Doing your dirty work has left a bitter aftertaste in my mouth, Joshua," he retorted. The Composer chuckled in the face of Mr. H's candor. He was usually much more laid back than this.

"Oh, relax," The Composer said. "You played the role of villain perfectly. I imagine that is all I'll need from you for a while."

"I doubt that," Mr. H replied skeptically.

The Composer smirked. "Trust me, Hanekoma. The Game is about to get a lot more interesting."

Mr. H raised his eyebrow as he scrutinized the smug Composer. "What're you talking about? Even the Reaper Officers and Golden Noise were no match for the Zetta Squad. The Reapers no longer have anything left to stop Kitaniji and Minamimoto with anymore."

"No? All you have to do is look out your front door and see that you're wrong about that."

"What? You can't mean…" Mr. H dropped his mug on the ground with a shattering crash as he rushed for the door. Swinging it open, he gasped as he beheld the dark miasma that was gradually consuming Shibuya.

"Beautiful, is it not?" The Composer watched the scene with satisfaction.

"Beautiful? Are you out of your mind?" Mr. H asked mollified. "All of the dimensions are merging. People in the RG can be affected just as people in the UG can!"

"Sounds fun, right?" The Composer chuckled.

"But how is this possible?" Mr. H frowned. "Missy had all the Taboo refinery sigils wiped clean. This abomination should be over and done with."

"Isn't it obvious?" The Composer asked. Mr. H thought carefully before he slapped himself across the forehead.

"Sho Minamimoto."

"Indeed," the Composer confirmed. "His very existence is an abomination. He is the physical embodiment of a Taboo refinery sigil. Yashiro and her Reapers did not end Shibuya's transformation; they only slowed it down. My thanks to you for teaching him the process in the first place."

Mr. H sank his face into his hands for a long moment while the Composer looked on smugly. "What exactly do you intend to happen?" Mr. H finally asked. The Composer looked at him questioningly.

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"Why are you going through so much trouble just for Megumi Kitaniji? I have never heard of an instance where the fabric between dimensions was allowed to unravel. I thought things were intense during the three of Phones' Games, but now they've just spun out of control!"

"Oh, Hanekoma," the Composer sighed, placing a hand on Mr. H's shoulder comfortingly. "I've been the Composer for centuries. I can't hand off the mantle so easily; Megumi has to earn it. If he can overcome the chaos that is going to occur over the final few days, I will have no qualms about making him the Composer and joining the RG."

"He's doing this for you…"

"Megumi is a loyal soldier, but some things you just can't learn without going through some difficult times," the Composer said matter-of-factly. "You can look at him as my protégée or my enemy; regardless, pitting him against every possible challenge is the natural course of things."

"I don't understand you sometimes," Mr. H groaned.

The Composer merely laughed. "And you never will."

* * *

**Author's Note: The next chapter will be the start of Day 5! Things are really going to start heating up now that the mystery of Zero revealed. Also, since I will be 20 chapters in, I am going to try to go back and edit all of my earlier chapters so that they have more detail, depth, and make more sense. I like to believe I have done a decent job so far, but there is always room for improvement. Be looking for an author's note in the next few chapters that will state when I have finished editing so you can go back and read the previous chapters at your leisure. The story will stay the same, but I hope to make enough changes that it will be worth rereading. I will also be on break for a little while so I can finally properly finish off the story. Review, favorite, follow!**

**Crow**


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